The largest and best known mill was in the fields to the south of Church Hill, directly opposite St Andrew’s (to the rear of, and between, Hillside and Pippins). This is shown in a map of 1678 and in most maps since then until it burned down in about 1900: an eye witness described seeing the blazing mill at night, with the sails turning. We have no photographs of the mill and the names of the early millers are not known; however, the tithe map of 1842 shows the land as owned by John Drummond and occupied by George Moore, who rented the mill and the associated lands of about 10 acres. George lived in the Miller’s House, next to St Andrews, and also held the field now known as the Glebe but known in those days as Steeple Field (interestingly this was not in fact glebe land but also formed part of the Drummond estate),
George also operated a brick kiln on an additional 10 acres further south, but this did not survive him. Well before he died in 1879, at the age of 79, George appears to have retired and handed over the mill to his son Joshua Moore, who is recorded as the miller from 1863. In 1881, the 51 year old Joshua is shown as occupying ‘Mill House’ together with his wife Susanna and their eight year old son Wilfred; Susanna’s sister Emma Humbleby was also in the house, but whether as a visitor or a permanent lodger we don’t know. There were also two domestic servants: Emma Willis (21) and Annie Johnson (13), both Hempstead born, and a miller’s labourer, John Bye (31).
By 1890, Joshua was using steam as well as wind power. After the mill burned down, power milling continued under G Harding: the mill at this time consisted of three pairs of stones and an oil engine.
Another windmill seems to have stood on high ground a little way to the east of Boytons, close where a spinney now stands. In the 1842 tithe map the adjacent 9 acre field is called Mill Hill (a name which survives to this day) but, unlike the mill in the village centre, there is no separate building shown and no obvious candidate for the miller – the field is shown as being occupied by Samuel Andrews, who had a sizeable farm alongside Hempstead Wood.
There was also a ‘steam flour and grist mill’ which came up for sale in 1906. This was located in the centre of the village, where the bungalows now stand (opposite the Village Hall). The sale particulars refer to a ‘red and white brick built and slated building’ with a frontage of 31 feet and a depth of 24 feet, together with a garden and a cottage in the occupation of Mr Frederick Fitch who pays rent of £1 19s 0d per annum.
This photograph shows the grist mill in its hey day. In the distance on the right, you can make out the Old Bakery and its barn
