Original Bidston Hill Peg Windmill - 7th Jan 2008 12:34am
I read in a book the other day that the original Bidston Hill peg windmill was located 20 metres north of the existing one, and the foundations can still be found... Now the website states 20 yards, so I think their roughly the same. Im not 100% how accurate their "north" description is, but I think I may have found it.
The peg windmill would have been built prior to 1596 as its mentioned in some lease documents(citation). It was destroyed by a fire in 1793 and replaced with the existing mill which was built in c.1800 (citation).
So I went up there today to have a look.
I took me GPS with me for directional accuracy and counted roughly 20m north of the lighthouse there is indeed a mound of earth higher then that around and somewhat un-natural looking.
Unfortuatly, there were loads of people about walking dogs and the like, and dogs fighting, so I didnt start ripping any of the earth up to have a look. Will do another time when its quieter, probably in the week or summit. Might just take me proper camera next time, anyone up for any further investigation (ie. seeing whats under the earth), lemme know.
Anyway, here is some photos to give you some idea of where it is:
A map of the location of the old mill - there is a bench right in front of it, you can see this on the map.
You can clearly see the location of the bench, the mound is directly behind the bench in this photo.
Its hard to make out on the photos, but behind that bench it is a mound.
A photo of the mound from kneeling level.
Another photo of the mound; the tufts of yellowish grass you see towards the front of the photo are the start of the mound.
Unfortunatly, no images of the original windmill exist afaik, but it "may" have looked similar to this one built in the early 1600's:
The peg windmill would have been built prior to 1596 as its mentioned in some lease documents(citation). It was destroyed by a fire in 1793 and replaced with the existing mill which was built in c.1800 (citation).
So I went up there today to have a look.
I took me GPS with me for directional accuracy and counted roughly 20m north of the lighthouse there is indeed a mound of earth higher then that around and somewhat un-natural looking.
Unfortuatly, there were loads of people about walking dogs and the like, and dogs fighting, so I didnt start ripping any of the earth up to have a look. Will do another time when its quieter, probably in the week or summit. Might just take me proper camera next time, anyone up for any further investigation (ie. seeing whats under the earth), lemme know.
Anyway, here is some photos to give you some idea of where it is:
A map of the location of the old mill - there is a bench right in front of it, you can see this on the map.
You can clearly see the location of the bench, the mound is directly behind the bench in this photo.
Its hard to make out on the photos, but behind that bench it is a mound.
A photo of the mound from kneeling level.
Another photo of the mound; the tufts of yellowish grass you see towards the front of the photo are the start of the mound.
Unfortunatly, no images of the original windmill exist afaik, but it "may" have looked similar to this one built in the early 1600's: