Reasons for Designation
Post mills were the form of windmills in the medieval period in which the
wooden superstructure rotated about a central vertical post. The central post
was mounted on cross timbers which were stabilised by being set into a mound.
This mound might be newly built but earlier mounds were also frequently
reused. The whole superstructure of such a mill was rotated to face into the
wind by pushing a horizontal pole projecting from the mill on the opposite
side from the sails. The end of this pole was supported by a wheel and
rotation eventually resulted in a shallow ditch surrounding the mill mound.
Post mills were in use from the 12th century onwards. No medieval examples of
the wooden superstructures survive today but the mounds, typically between 15m
and 25m in diameter, survive as field monuments. In general, only those mounds
which are components of larger sites or which are likely to preserve organic
remains will be considered worthy of protection through scheduling. However,
some mills reused earlier mounds, such as castle mottes and barrows, which are
worthy of protection in their own right.
Details
The monument includes The Mount, a medieval windmill mound 670m south of
Bleasby Grange. It is thought to represent the site of Bleasby Mill which is
referred to in documentary sources of the mid-13th century, however, it was
already in existence in the 12th century when the adjacent road layout was
established, and this may indicate the reuse of an earlier feature such as a
burial mound.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
22769
Legacy System:
RSM
End of official list entry
