Information for record number MWA622:
Harbury Windmill

Summary Harbury Windmill, the remains of a Windmill of the tower mill type. Built of stone and brick in the Imperial period, its sails were dismantled in 1911/12, and it was converted to electricity in the 1950s. Some machinery survives. It stands in Mill Street, Harbury.
What Is It?  
Type: Windmill, Tower Mill, Mill
Period: Imperial - Industrial (1751 AD - 1913 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Harbury
District: Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 37 60
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Sites & Monuments Record
Picture(s) attached

 
Description

 
Source Number  

1 Tower mill. Derelict stone (lower part) and red brick (tarred) tower with batter, in fair condition, iron sheeted boat cap with wheel and chain luffing gear, windshaft with poll end and brakewheel, three pairs of stones and much gear and equipment, only stumps of staging remaining. About 19.7m high, six storey. Built between 1802 and 1812. Had four common sails. Ceased work by sail 1911-12, sails off early 1920's, stocks off 1934. Subsequently worked by electricity into 1950's.
2 The sail-less tower is in fair condition.
4 Ownership and other significant events can be traced.
5 A survey of the mill was made prior to alterations being made. The lower floors are empty of machinery, the machinery on higher floors largely intact. Alterations to the roof have destroyed the curves of the original boat shaped cap. Original height with the cap would have been almost 70 feet.
6 The third floor contains one bolter suspended on a timber framework. The timber drive shaft carried a gear wheel with teeth set at an angle to the horizontal driving the iron cog. The stone floor on the fourth level carries a pair of French Burr and a pair of Derbyshire Peak stones. At right angles to the stones is the drive shaft with a moveable timber break arm. The Great Spur wheel is of clasp arm construction, keyed to the main shaft which is butt and lapp jointed. The cap frame consists of morticed and bolted oak timbers, it is braced by tie rods and has cap centering wheels. The pinion which drove the rim gear is missing although its angled support frame is still in place.
7 History from documentary evidence.
8 Building survey and drawings.
9 Archival correspondence.
 
Sources

Source No: 5
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Wind and Water Mills, Occ Journal of the Midlands Wind and Water Mills Group
Author/originator: Job B
Date: 1990
Page Number: 15, 16-44
Volume/Sheet: 10
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Windmills in Warwickshire
Author/originator: Seaby W A and Smith A C
Date: 1977
Page Number: 15
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Wind and Water Mills, Occ Journal of the Midlands Wind and Water Mills Group
Author/originator: Seaby W A
Date: 1990
Page Number: 12-14
Volume/Sheet: 10
   
Source No: 9
Source Type: Correspondence
Title: Harbury Windmill
Author/originator:
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Descriptive Text
Title: Warwickshire Monuments Evaluation and Presentation Project
Author/originator: Baker H
Date: 1987
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: Field Survey Form
   
Source No: 7
Source Type: Descriptive Text
Title: Harbury Windmill, Part I, History of the Mill
Author/originator: Bill Seaby
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 8
Source Type: Descriptive Text
Title: Harbury Windmill Part II, The Survey
Author/originator: Job, Barry
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Plan
Title: Wind and Water Mills, Occ Journal of the Wind and Water Mills Group
Author/originator: Job B
Date: 1990
Page Number: 16-44
Volume/Sheet: 10
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Record Card/Form
Title: SMR card : text
Author/originator: JMG
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
A view of Harbury Windmill
Copyright: Warwickshire County Council
Date: 1960s
Click here for larger image  
 
A view of Harbury Windmill
Copyright: Warwickshire County Council
Date: 1900s
Click here for larger image  
 
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
source SMR Card Sites and Monuments Record Card. The Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record began to be developed during the 1970s. The details of individual archaeological sites and findspots were written on record cards. These record cards were used until the 1990s, when their details were entered on to a computerised system. The record cards are still kept at the office of the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
technique Documentary Evidence Documentary evidence is another name for written records. The first written records in Britain date back to the Roman period. Documentary evidence can take many different forms, including maps, charters, letters and written accounts. When archaeologists are researching a site, they often start by looking at documentary evidence to see if there are clues that will help them understand what they might find. Documentary evidence can help archaeologists understand sites that are discovered during an excavation, field survey or aerial survey. back
period Imperial 1751 AD to 1914 AD (end of the 18th century AD to the beginning of the 20th century AD)

This period comes after the Post Medieval period and before the modern period and starts with beginning of the Industrial Revolution in 1750. It includes the second part of the Hannoverian period (1714 – 1836) and the Victorian period (1837 – 1901). The Imperial period ends with the start of the First World War in 1914.
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monument SHAFT * Use only if function unknown, otherwise use specific type. back
monument WINDMILL * A tower-like structure of wood or brick with a wooden cap and sails which are driven around by the wind producing power to work the internal machinery. Use with product type where known. back
monument TOWER MILL * A windmill with a rotating cap containing the windshaft, and a stationary body in the form of a tower. back
monument BUILDING * A structure with a roof to provide shelter from the weather for occupants or contents. Use specific type where known. back
monument STONE * Use only where stone is natural or where there is no indication of function. back
monument FLOOR * A layer of stone, brick or boards, etc, on which people tread. Use broader site type where known. back
monument MILL * A factory used for processing raw materials. Use more specific mill type where known. See also TEXTILE MILL, for more narrow terms. back
monument TOWER * A tall building, either round, square or polygonal in plan, used for a variety of purposes, including defence, as a landmark, for the hanging of bells, industrial functions, etc. Use more specific type where known. back
monument MACHINERY * Apparatus used for applying a mechanical force, or to perform a particular function. Use more specific type where known. back
monument FAIR * A site where a periodical gathering of buyers, sellers and entertainers, meet at a time ordained by charter or statute or by ancient custom. back
monument DRIVE * A road/carriage way giving access from the main road to the house, stables. back
monument INDUSTRIAL * This is the top term for the class. See INDUSTRIAL Class List for narrow terms. back
monument STOCKS * An instrument of punishment, in which the offender was placed in a sitting position in a timber frame, with holes to confine the ankles and wrists between two planks. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record