The Union Windmill in Cranbrook

This is a charming place to visit – a proper working windmill managed by knowledgeable and devoted volunteers from Cranbrook village and the surrounding area. If you have ever wondered how a smock mill works, this is the place to come! There are enthusiastic guides on every floor of the working mill to describe to you what happens in the process to make flour.

The windmill was built in 1814 and it is the tallest in England at seven storeys high. This height is required to allow the sails to rise above the turbulence of surrounding buildings and utilise the wind for grinding power. The mill has a revolving cap and fantail to direct the sails into the wind and maximise its utility.