Impington Mill
Impington Mill
This is the oldest photo of the mill, taken around 1897, and shows the original black vertical boarding of the smock. The housing of the recently added external drive can just be seen on the right side of the mill.
A few years later, this shows Chiver’s first tenant miller, Joshua Wilson and his son, Mark, and Mark’s wife.
About 1910, seen from Chiver’s strawberry fields. Notice that the smock is now weather boarded in white. The original black boards are still there underneath the weatherboarding.
By 1916 Mark Wilson (by the house) is the tenant miller. This view is the last one to show the working mill and has been used as the reference for restoration work. This picture is courtesy of Neville Wilson, grandson of Mark.
By 1934, the mill has ceased working and the sails removed.
1937, showing the gates to good effect: known as “Rectory Gates” these stay open, but also swing to the centre using a clever double pivot. The finial has been shortened.
By 1954 the mill is looking somewhat dilapidated with no remaining fantail blades and the finial completely missing.
And this is as it was when we bought it in 1999 - listed as being “at risk”, with
the stocks removed, the cap stuck and leaking everywhere. Trees have grown up so
that there was no room for sails - “tree pollution”.
In 2009, restoration of the outside was completed, and the sails turn when there’s enough wind.
