Blackdown Mill

Blackdown Mill is an octagonal wooden smock mill standing on a brick foundation in East Sussex. The structure features rotating sails designed to catch wind from any direction for grinding grain.

This smock mill emerged in the 18th century as a solution for grain processing across agricultural regions. The design with adjustable sails became a practical standard for rural British milling operations.

This mill reflects a time when grinding grain was central to village life and community survival. Visitors can observe how such buildings once anchored the daily rhythms of local settlements.

The mill is accessible from local roads in the countryside and viewable from several angles around its perimeter. Morning or afternoon visits work equally well, though windy days are best for seeing the sails in motion.

The mill was also known locally as Cherry Clack Mill, a name that persists in regional records and community memory. This dual naming reveals how rural structures often carried multiple identities based on location or previous operators.