Lower Mill, Dalham, Grade II listed smock mill in Dalham, England.
Lower Mill is a three-story windmill in Dalham with an eight-sided wooden body rising from a solid brick base and powered by four sails stretching about 27 feet across. Inside on the first floor sit three pairs of grinding stones made from French Burr, mounted on a wooden support frame that shows how traditional milling worked.
The mill started working in 1790 and ground grain until 1926, with the Ruffle family running it from 1802 to 1855. During those years it served as an essential facility for processing grain from the surrounding farmland.
The mill shows how grain milling shaped daily life and work in this rural area for many generations. The wooden wheels and working parts you see reflect the skills that local millers developed and passed down through their families.
The mill is visible from outside, but entry to the interior requires advance planning as it is not always open to casual visitors. Check current access arrangements before making a special trip to see inside.
The mill preserves a rare feature: three grinding stone pairs driven from below rather than above, which is uncommon among surviving English windmills. This design allowed for more efficient power transfer and was technically ahead of standard practice.
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