Baker Street Mill, Orsett
Description
Baker Street Mill is a grade II listed smock mill at Baker Street, Orsett, Essex, England which has been part adapted to residential use on its lower two floors only.HistoryBaker Street Mill is said to have been built in 1765, although a date of 1762 is recorded in the mill. The earliest firm reference for the mill is 1796, this from a sale notice in 1808. It is likely that the mill was raised a storey between 1762 and 1814. The mill was working by wind until 1914. A steam mill was built near the mill towards the end of its working life, a new boiler being supplied in 1906.The mill gradually became more and more derelict, losing two sails in 1926 to a lightning strike. The windmill and steam mill were converted to residential accommodation in 1982.DescriptionBaker Street Mill is a three-storey smock mill on a two-storey brick base, with a stage at first-floor level. The mill had four double patent sails, and the Kentish-style cap is winded by a fantail.MillBaker Street Mill has an octagonal two-storey brick base, the walls of which are almost 3ft thick at ground level. The base is 20ft across the flats and 18ft high, the brickwork at the top of the base is about 18in thick.The smock is 21ft from sill to curb. The mill is 11ft diameter at the curb, the cant posts being about 10in square. The stage is at first-floor level, 8ft above the ground.The cap is of Kentish style, with blisters for the brake wheel, with an overall height of some 8ft, giving the mill an overall height of about 46ft. Winding is by an eight-bladed fantail, although originally the mill was winded by hand.