NEWSLETTER NO. 7- Jun 2005

Riseden Mill

Those with good eyesight will have noticed below the “I” in “HISTORY” on the Title Page an intact white post-mill. This was on the high point above Riseden and is described in ‘The Windmills of Sussex’ [Martin Brunnarius: Phillimore 1979 p106] Remains of a White Post-mill with Tailpole and Talthur: In the garden of the mill-house at Riseden, a High Weald village in the north-east of the county, we find this remain. Here, until 1910, stood a white post-mill with a tailpole and talthur†. This was latterly equipped with two pairs of stones driven by four patent sweeps. First shown on Greenwood's map of Sussex dated 1823/4, this is traditionally thought to have been brought here from Bestbeech Hill where it appeared on Gardener's map dated 1795. But, although a mill at 'Bestbridge' Hill is mentioned in the 1801 Defence Schedule, no mill is shown at either Bestbeech or Riseden on the 1813 Ordnance Survey map.

The first reference to a windmill at the present site appears in the Sussex Weekly Advertiser dated 12 March 1821, and reads: 'To be sold by private contract, a substantial windmill with machinery complete, situated at Riseden near Best Beech Hill'. Millers included N. and J. Packham, 1839; T. Martin, 1851-1874; and then George White until the mill ceased working for a time around 1890. During Mr. White's tenancy, the mill was converted from two spring and two common sweeps to all patents. The house and mill were taken on by the local vicar, the Reverend Roberts, who hired the mill to a Mr. Harry Wallis for a time. By 1910, Riseden mill had become idle and weakened to the point where it collapsed without warning on a still day. The trestle stood, still supported by the roundhouse for some 60 years, until this also fell. A cross tree apparently broke away at a pier and brought the post down across the roundhouse wall, which crumbled beneath the weight. Today, the top half of the post, which was subsequently sawn off, stands in Mr. Overton's colourful garden and still exhibits the thrust-ring which once bore the weight of this windmill.”

†To keep the mill into wind and prevent it becoming tail-winded, the whole body is moved around the post. The procedure is called winding [the ‘i’ in winding is pronounced as in ‘win’] the mill. In post-mills, winding is via a tailpole or fantackle. The method varies now, but originally this was always effected by hand. The steps can be raised from the ground by a lever known as a talthur, thus allowing the miller to push the mill round.

The Millers of Riseden

The census returns for the Wadhurst enumeration district enable us to track the names and families of those working the Riseden mill.
The 1841 Census has William PACKHAM as a miller aged 35 at Riseden Mill, with his wife Harriot [30], his children Ann [15], Ellen [10], William [8] and Harriot [5] with one servant Isaac WALLIS [30]; at the Riseden Beer Shop John SWIFT [57] was also a journeyman miller.
In 1851 Thomas MARTIN [27—born in Salehurst] was the master miller with his wife Ruth [24—a local girl] and Amos WALLIS [21—a Wadhurst man] a journeyman miller. Thomas MARTIN was still the miller at Mill House in 1851, with his wife and three children: Joseph [9], Sarah [5] and Ruth [1]; Mary WEEKLY [26] was their servant.

By 1871 the miller was George WHITE [26—born in Rotherfield] employing 2 men; his wife Jane [28– from Mayfield] and his son George W [7 mths—born in Burwash], his mother Charlotte [61—Wadhurst], his wife’s sister Sarah E VIDLER [12—Ticehurst] and Walter HUMPHRY [18—born in East Grinstead] servant. His employees probably included, at 1 Mill Cottages, Henry HOLLANDS [28—a Ticehurst man] miller loader. George WHITE was still the miller in 1881: he now had four more children—Charles [9], Jane [7], Emily [3] and Fanny [5 mths] all born in Wadhurst; as was Mercy SMITH [14] their servant. Living in Mill Cottage, [Riseden] George KENNARD [48—born in Beddingham] was the corn miller grinder; his wife Barbara [52 from Lingfield] had sons Ephraim [23] and Alfred [20] both agricultural labourers born in West Tarring, Horace [15—Ag Lab] born in Darrington] as were his younger brothers Edwin [13] and Fredrick [9] and sister Alice [11] - all scholars.

In 1891 George WHITE was still the miller, joined by his son George [20], his wife and three daughters at home; son Charles [19] seems to have left the parish.

By 1901 the occupants of The Mill House [Riseden] were John BOOTH [38—Shropshire]] a gardener and his family: Mary his wife [42—Hants] and children Annie [14], Albert [11], George [9], Raymond [7], Frances [5], Alice [3] and Lilian [1] all born in Tunbridge Wells.
The 1901 census has no miller at Riseden. William WALLIS [36] was a gardener living in No 2 Mill Cottage [Riseden] - was he the Harry WALLIS mentioned on p.1 as a tenant miller? Or was the miller Harry WALLIS [44] the bricklayer living in Sparrows Green?