This is Middle Rasen, Lincolnshire

MIDDLE RASEN's TWO MILLS

THE WIND MILL

The Mill in Middle Rasen was built in 1820 and was a working windmill until 1932, when the sails failed. It was run by petrol motor for some time after that but eventually fell into disrepair and became derelict. When we bought the property the mill was little more than the brick shell.

We have rebuilt the cap on traditional lines with the help of a local millwright, Tom Davies. The structure comprises 20 oak struts which sit on a 4" oak wall-plate, which in turn is bolted to a 6" circular steel ring-beam. The struts are first covered with half-inch pine attached horizontally. This is next covered with vertical half-inch planks of western red cedar, a very light and pliable timber which is also quite weather resistant. Here is where we depart from tradition, because a working mill cap originally would have been painted. Since the cap would have rotated so that the overlap of the boards always faced away from the wind the joints between the cedar boards would have been fairly protected from the ingress of rain. In any case, building standards in those days were not as exacting as now. We need a finish which will be reliably weather-proof but provide an appearance which will as closely resemble the original as possible, and for these reasons we have opted for a white fibre glass (or G.R.P.) covering.

Richard Harries

THE WATER MILL

There has been a mill here since 1597 and maybe many years longer. There used to be many mills on the Rase but now there are only three remaining, Tealby, Market Rasen and here. The Middle Rasen one being the only one with its original workings mainly in place, the other two having been converted to domestic use. We moved into the property in 1970 when we found the mill to be in a very dilapidated state, with a sagging roof, its gable collapsing and the floor was powder. I had the gable ends repaired and the roof re-instated. The flooring was replaced with oak floorboards rescued from the demolition of Grimsby Hospital (a labour of love on my part). So it is now restored for years to come. The water-course from the river Rase to the mill was put back and the mill pond re-formed. Since coming here I have seen the West Rasen Mill allowed to fall down and the final disappearance of Peck Mill in Market Rasen. The Middle Rasen Mill was last worked in the early 1960's by Fred Cottingham, but has not been used as a mill all the time. In the mid 1700's James Harrison, carpenter, moved in to the mill. He was the brother of John Harrison who formulated the way of calculating Longitude. They left Barton-on-Humber to go to London to try and win the prize offered for this, and James, for whatever reason also decided to come to the mill to carry on his trade of carpentry. In fact he made all the pews for Aylesbury Church near Grimsby at the Mill. James had also previous to going to London with his brother, been the carpenter who made his brothers design for Grandfather clocks, entirely made of wood, even the cogs! Three years ago, the wheel arch was badly damaged during the earthquake, with the keystones dropping, and a nasty split in the wall. Metal tie bars were inserted to support the area and brickwork replaced. The fact is that the three storey building has no foundations which amazed the man who re-formed the Mill Pond, using a drag line, and found the whole base was just shifting sand. They certainly knew how to build in those days. Having re-constructed the Mill and waterway, I hope the Mill will still be extant in another hundred years.

Dr L.G. Parry

See whats on at www.broadbenttheatre.org or ring 0300 400 0101

Vice Chair Elected ......Cllr David Pattison

CouncillorElected ...... Cllr Gail Dennis

Clerk to the Parish Council Mrs Jo Trotter
Wingates, Tealby, LN8 3YB tel 01673 838690
middlerasenparishcouncil@gmail.com