Westwood Marshes Mill, Grade II listed windpump in Walberswick, England
Westwood Marshes Mill is a three-story tower structure made of brick with rendered detailing at its base, located in the Suffolk marshlands. The construction features an internal mechanism with an upright shaft, gears, and an external scoop wheel designed to move water across the landscape.
Built in the late 1700s, this pump operated to drain the marshes until around 1940 when military activity damaged it during World War II. The structure then gradually fell into disrepair before eventually receiving protected status.
The mill demonstrates how local engineers solved water management challenges in the marshes, a problem that shaped how people farmed and lived in this region for centuries.
The structure can be viewed from the outside, where much of the original brickwork and internal mechanisms remain partially visible. Wear appropriate footwear when visiting, as the surrounding marshland is often wet and muddy underfoot.
During World War II, this pump was deliberately used as a shooting target by military forces, which explains much of its current damage and deteriorated state. This unusual wartime role makes it a rare example of civilian infrastructure that bore the direct impact of conflict.
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