Redlingfield Windmill is shown on the Tithe Map of 1839 opposite Occold Corner. Not far from that site, in the same field, which is still part of Mill Farm, there is now a modern wind turbine.

There is nothing visible of the old mill today but villager Russell Kerry (who passed in 2019) remembered seeing some remains there when he used to cycle to school.

The Tithe Map Apportionments state that William Graystone Roe was the owner and occupier of 26, the mill yard and 27, house and garden. 27 is on the site of the three cottages at Occold Corner, one of which is called Mill End.

This puts this building, then one dwelling, as the house of the miller rather than 29 which is now known as Mill Cottage but was called Godfreys and Mansers and belonged to Oliver Howes in 1839.

William Graystone Roe was born in1795 in Charsfield and came to Redlingfield when his parents moved here. His mother, Sarah was buried here in 1829.

I can’t say when he started as miller here or if his father, also William, was miller before him but it seems likely.

He married Rebecca Godbolt in1821, they had at least five children. In1841 and 1851 he is named as miller on the census and “formerly miller” in1861. He moved to Cambridgeshire with his wife and died there in 1874.

Other millers named on census or directories for Redlingfield are: 1861 Thomas Cracknell; 1864 Isaac Woods of Eye;1871 James Harvey; and 1879 Alfred Beales.

No miller is named on or after 1881. According to the Suffolk Mills Group, who research mills in the county, Redlingfield Mill was blown down on 18th January 1881 during a storm.

The Ipswich Journal carried a long piece about damage caused by “The Great Storms” of that date. Details from many local places including Eye are given but there is no report from Redlingfield.

So that all makes sense BUT Eddie Coe’s notes say that it was sold in 1858 to be taken down and not put up again for fear of competition as the owner also had the mill at Horham.

There is a newspaper advertisement, for the sale by auction on December21st 1858 of the cottage, now in three tenements and “Also a POSTWINDMILL, with two pairs of excellent 4 feet French stones, with all machinery, going gears, &c., ... The whole of which is to be removed at the purchaser’s expense”.

Did it sell? The fact that millers were listed in the village in trade directories through to 1879 makes me wonder but Eddie has the buyers name, so was it sold but not taken down?

Linda Hudson (Published in Athelington, Horham & Redlingfield News Autumn 2017 issue No 39).