Upper Mill, Walton, windmill in Walton, Felixstowe, Suffolk, UK
Upper Mill in Walton is a smock mill building from 1804 with an octagonal timber tower set on a two-storey brick base. The structure had four patent sails and two pairs of millstones for grinding grain, with a fantail device that automatically turned the cap to face the wind.
The mill was built in 1804 and played an important role supplying local farmers with grain processing for over two centuries. In the early 1900s the interior was dismantled leaving only the tower standing, until repairs beginning in 1995 stabilized the structure.
The mill's name comes from its location in Walton, where it serves as a landscape landmark deeply connected to local identity. Its octagonal timber structure with brick base shapes how people see the place, reminding them of the era when wind power brought work and food to the community.
The site is freely accessible and can be viewed from outside, with the sturdy brick and timber construction weathering the elements well. Visitors should note that the structure is protected as a listed building and photography from outside is possible, though a local guide offers more background knowledge.
In the early 1800s, miller James Ruffles worked at the site while also managing other nearby mills, showing the trust placed in him and the mill's importance to the local economy. This dual role highlights how central windmills were to grain supply across the entire region at that time.
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