Records show that there has been a mill on this site as far back as 1779 and beyond. A coastal shipping survey shows a post mill. This is the earliest form of windmill, in which the central vertical post which held the sails would lead onto the machinery. The whole mill would have to be turned round by hand so that the sails faced into the wind.
In 1790, a tower windmill was built to replace the post mill which was blown down in gales. The windmill would have ground local corn for the community.
Steam mills began to replace windmills in the 1890,s and by 1896 the windmill was made redundant. However, the remaining stone tower of the windmill became a valuable lookout tower for enemy aircraft during the Second World War.
In 1991, The Church Commissioners (who then owned the mill) handed ownership over to South Tyneside Council. The council then were able to look at restoring this wonderful piece of history.
Unfortunately, the mill was only an empty shell, as all the inner machinery had been removed some 100 years earlier. One of the old beams remained together with the original fireplace that was set into the wall on the ground floor.
Keeping the stonework as original as possible was easy. The original stone came from further up the road at Marsden Quarry. The rest of this massive restoration project involved opening up doors and windows, floors rebuilt as well as the staircase.
The current sails are replicas designed to withstand high winds.
Researched by George Wright August 2007
Can you provide any further information or any photographs about our Mill. We would love to hear from you.
Another nearby windmill is at Fulwell in Sunderland. Information can be found using link Sunderland History