THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com  created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.

The post mill known as Black Mill in Storrington c.1900

 

KITHURST BLACK MILL (otherwise known as Box Mill) — FEATURING ARTHUR PELLING'S RIDE

In the autumn of 2004, John Pelling who was brought up in the village and has for many years been interested in windmills, told me that one of his uncles rode round on the sweeps of Kithurst Black Windmill on Kithurst Hill (TQ 0813.) that once stood not far from Findon.  

Needless to say, this intrigued me and I asked him to explain further —

 

31st October 2004

Kithurst Black Mill stood until 1923, a house was then built on the site and the millstones are in the garden,

The windmill had stood there from 1820 when it was brought from up Portsmouth by William Crowhurst.  It was called the Box Mill by the locals due to the storage of the Friars apple boxes from their orchards,

Dad and his brothers lived at Bread Farm Cootham in 1915 and they played around the mill when it was still capable of a little work.  Arthur, aged 10, asked if he could ride the sweeps.  The miller said 2 boys were needed for balance and his friend Wilkie Charman rode the opposite one.

One boy was tied to the lower sweep upside down and pushed round to be upright at the top while the other boy was tied on.  It is a scary thing to do, it is said you are not a windmiller until you have been round on the sweeps,

John Noakes was filmed going round Outwood Mill for TVs Blue peter and was terrified.

It can be dangerous.  People have been lifted off the ground at Salvington Windmill while setting the sweeps,

But Arthur enjoyed his ride and lived in Findon until he was 96 yrs old.  He died November 9th 2001,

From John Pelling, Lower Salvington ,Nr Worthing, West Sussex..
 

Following the above revelation, Nish Vardy of Findon wrote to say he would have loved to ride round on the sweeps when a boy.   He may even fancy doing it now that he is ever so slightly older!

The Black Mill in Kithurst Lane in Storrington was built in 1750 and demolished in 1923.   It was the last working windmill in the village.

The photograph below of the Black Mill would have been taken at roughly the same era as Arthur and Wilkie enjoyed their ride —

Continue if you would like to read about yet another windmill..... Heene Windmill in Worthing.

 Back to Windmill Index
 Back to Main Index

THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.

 

E-mail: valeriemartin@findonvillage.com