Rayleigh

                         Through the Looking Glass

Heritage Trail

               Rayleigh Tower Mill Built 1809

                        Happy 200th Birthday

                    Some interesting facts:    

                         At 68 feet the tallest in Essex

                        6 floors – walls 4 feet 6 inches thick at the base

                        Milled grain for approximately 150 years.

                        Machinery driven by wind/steam/diesel/electric

                        Originally had 3 pairs of grinding stones

                        Thomas Higgs a local timber merchant purchased the plot in 1808

                        N Harvey  a bricklayer on the construction inscribed ‘N Harvey 1809’ in the brickwork - still

                        visible to the left of the entrance

Mill offered for sale in 1812

Sails taken down in 1906

Site of ‘Rayleigh Bath Chair Murder’ in 1943

Windmills in Rayleigh date from circa 1310.

At one time there were at least 5 mills in Rayleigh

                       

         

               

                                                              

                                                                         Have you visited the Windmill?

                                                                            Open April to September

                                                                             (Wednesday 10-1, Saturday/Sunday 1-4)   

                                                                              may be closed on occasions.

                                                                   Refer to Rochford District Council Website (click here)

                                                                         Attractions include

                                                                                Rayleigh Historical Society Museum,

                                                                               National Trust Display of Rayleigh Castle/Mount &

                                                                                                          Temporary exhibitions.

   

If you live locally 2 of our slide shows, as part of the Windmill Birthday celebrations, are available to the public.

Please see the slide shows page for details.

Do you have any interesting information on our town’s mill or perhaps you may have a question.

Please get in touch

Previous Updates

March Update