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by As a child I was very fortunate to have John Vince as my teacher and headmaster. His teaching has inspired not just myself but a generation of children who passed through his school in the 1970s and '80s. His interest in English History and the clues it has left behind in the landscape first led him to be published by Shire Publications and then enabled him to set up his own press.
Sadly space means this can only be a brief introduction to his work. Each book is a glowing example of the detailed research, beautiful handwriting and precise illustration which he endeavoured to pass on to his students. All the illustrations in the article are linked to larger drawings. Simply click the small image to see the large one. - SK
For centuries man has used wind power as a natural source of energy. In his book John Vince describes the development, structure and working of the principal types of windmill to be found in the British Isles.
The windmill was introduced into England in the 12th century - probably by Crusaders returning from the wars in the Holy Land. These early Mills were quite small and we can glimpse some of their details from mediaeval manuscripts, stained glass and carved representations.
Wind power had been used to move ships long before it was applied to grinding corn.
To be effective the mill needed the wind to blow toward the sails. As the wind often changes direction it was necessary to be able to face the sails into the wind so that the mill could work. To make this possible the mill body was made to rest upon an upright post. A long lever projecting from the rear of the mill body allowed it to be turned around. Mills of this type are called post mills.
The earliest post mills were small and their trestles were not protected from the weather. As the drawing shows the work of putting the heavy timbers in place was not easy. Ropes, pulleys and levers were the chief mechanical aids.
Millers who used common sails had to stop the mill working if the strength of the wind altered, so that the canvas could be adjusted. In 1772 a Scottish engineer, Andrew Meikle, invented a new type of sail. It was made from a series of shutters which could be opened or closed by a system of levers. This idea made it easier to change a sail's wind resistance but the mill had to be stopped to alter each sail. The design was improved in 1807 when William Cubbit invented his Patent Sails. These could be adjusted without stopping the mill. All the sails could be changed by the movement of the striking rod.
To make the sails face the wind the entire post mill had to be turned. This was a cumbersome and time consuming task. Eventually a better way was found to achieve to same end. Masonry towers were constructed and the sails were placed in a cap which could be turned 360 degrees. We do not know who invented the cap but it seems to have been in use by the fourteenth century. Many small drawings appear in manuscripts of that time and examples can be found in stained glass. These drawings show how mills appeared to mediaeval artists. They may not have known how a mill worked but some drawings do provide technical evidence.
Wind power was also used to raise water. The earliest water-raising mills operated scoop wheels. A Scoop-wheel had a lift which was less than its radius. Many mills of this kind were used by the Dutch engineers Nicholas Vermuyden when he drained the Fens in the C17. There were hundreds of drainage mills in various parts of England but most were in Suffolk or Norfolk. Wooden scoop wheels were placed in narrow brick channels and as the wheel turned it pushed water uphill and across the threshold. This then ran off into a higher channel. On a steep slope several wind pumps were used close together.
The use of wind energy has been re-valued in recent years. Wind power can be used to generate electricity. Even traditional mills can be constructed to provide power. This Cretan form of mill is one of many to be seen at the Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth. It is simple to build and does not require elaborate tools.
Modern forms of wind generator can now be seen in many places. These can be small enough to provide lighting for a boat, or large like the cluster of generators at Delabole, Cornwall. Other large examples can be seen at Ramsey Cambridgeshire & Richborough, Kent, England
Text and illustrations copyright John Vince 1995.
First published by SORBUS 1993, ISBN 1 74329 55 9
Further reading in the Country Series Books.
Each book in this outstanding series offers a fascinating insight into the way people used to live.
The Country Kitchen
Bread & Butter
Wells & Pumps
Country Seats
Watermills and how they work
The Farmer's Tools
Shepherding
Windmills and how they work
The Village School
The Country House
The Country Estate
The Timbered House
Gates & Gateways
Doors & Windows.
Further information...
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