TR 304545. A smock mill without sweeps and in poor condition stands in Mill Lane, Eastry, c.650 yards west of the A256. Probably built inthe 18th century. The windshaft and brake wheel still remains. (1) TR 304545. The last surviving mill in Eastry, a smock mill built c1740, had worked by wind until 1913 when the four patent sweeps and six bladed fantail were removed. Corn continued to be ground for manyyears by means of a suction engine. There were four pairs of stones, two for wheat and two for barley. Today 1979 the bloack well-tarred smock appears to be in good condition and the cap has been reboarded recently. No machinery remains except for the cast iron windshaft, the wooden brake wheel andmetal brake. (2) TR 3034545 Mill, adjoining the mill house, Tewkesbury in Mill Lane Eastry. County maps show that six different mills have stood in Eastry at various times since the 16th century. Only one of a group of four once in close proximity now survives. The mill is thought to be over two hundred years old. It is devoid of all machinery except the cast iron windshaft, the wooden brake wheel, now without cogs, andthe metal brake. By 1913 the sweeps of the mill had disappeared and the mill was worked by a suction gas engine. Permission to demolish the mill was recently refused by the county planning department. (3)

Additional reference (4-6)

Historic England archive material: AA81/01639 Eastry Windmill surrounded by ancillary buildings This smock mill at Eastry was built about 1770 and was worked by wind until 1913 and with a suction gas engine until 1959. It was later converted for residential use.
BF002499 EASTRY MILL, EASTRY File of material relating to a site or building. This material has not yet been fully catalogued. Copyright, date, and quantity information for this record may be incomplete or inaccurate.

<1> Ind Arch of SE Eng 1978 38 (A J Haselfoot) (OS Card Reference). SKE44224.

<2> Windmills in Kent 1979 8 (B J & J M Turpin) (OS Card Reference). SKE51353.

<3> Symonson's Map of Kent 1596 (OS Card Reference). SKE49793.

<4> Morden's Map of 1680 (OS Card Reference). SKE47339.

<5> Bowen's Map of 1736 (OS Card Reference). SKE38282.

<6> Windmills of Kent 1979 39-41 (J West) (OS Card Reference). SKE51377.