The mill shown here is also fitted with a small winch and circle of posts onto which a rope can be fitted so that the miller may have an alternative to pushing the tailpole if he is single handed. The mill is fitted with common sails - the very earliest and most basic form of sail .
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The Post mill is one of the earliest designs and permits the mill to be turned into the wind by manually pushing the huge tailpole which projects from the back and so turning on the vertical post in the centre ,the tailpole is often fitted
with an old cartwheel in later times to ease its movement if the miller is single handed.
In order to move the structure the heavy wooden stairs have to be lifted off the ground and a large pivoting lever is used to raise it a couple of inches clear of the ground.
Under the mill is a brick 'roundhouse' with a boarded and felted roof which serves as a storehouse although there is not a lot of space as the support braces for the huge 'post' take up most of the room
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      POST MILL
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