Bevendean History Project
The Racehill Windmill
Report in the Sussex Daily News on 17 May 1913
BRIGHTON: LANDMARK REMOTED BY THE GALE
The picturesque wooden structure which stood
as a sentinel of half a century on the Sussex Downs at Brighton –
The Old Race Hill Windmill - has succumbed at last to the ravages of
time and storm, and early yesterday morning was lying in ruins on the
ground. It was at the height of a gale, just before half-past seven
that Mr E. Potiphar, who lives at Windmill House close by, and his son
were beside the windmill harnessing the horse to proceed to market.
Scarcely five minutes had elapsed after their departure when the other
inmates of the house were alarmed by a fearful crash, as terrifying as
it was sudden. There first thought was of the mill, for it has been
tottering ominously for fully two weeks beforehand, and investigation
proved their surmise to be correct. Loss of life would probably have
been involved if the wind had been blowing from a different quarter,
for then a good portion of the structure would have crashed through the
low roofs of Windmill House; while Mr Potiphar and his son must
assuredly have been killed had their departure been delayed a few more
minutes. As it was, the north east wind carried the mill in a westward
direction, and the whole structure collapsed through the hedge into the
adjoining garden.
TRANSPORTED BY OXEN
Thus have the Brighton Down sustained a sad
loss, for the old mill has been a landmark for more years than most
people can remember. There must now be very few Brightonians who can
remember the mill in its original position at the top of Windmill
Street, close to Queens Park road and near the park itself. It is
recorded in a well-known historical survey of Brighton that “all
the North Eastern part of the town, lying between Hanover Street
(immediately behind Hanover Crescent) and the Queens Park, and between
the upper part of Sussex Street and Islingword road, was in 1850 little
else than garden ground, with 2 windmills upon it (near the
park).” There is very little doubt that one of these 2 was the
Race Hill windmill. How long it had been in that original position is
not quite clear, but it must have been the best part of a century old,
for 50 years ago it was removed to its present position, being drawn on
wheels by a large team of oxen. On the top of the Hill, for nearly half
a century the huge sweeps of the mill were turned by the wind to grind
corn. But there came a time, about 8 years ago, when the mill became
vacant. It was cast aside in its old age; the gigantic wooden
cogwheel’s remaining motionless, and cobwebs were spun in every
corner. Yet the iron bound-timbers withstood the tempests and the
attacks of destructive insects, and it came still more to be regarded
as an artistic landmark. The wonder over the Downs felt its company,
and artists sketch painted its bold outline against the sky. The
eminence on which it is stood looked sadly bare yesterday, and the old
mill will be missed by many a lover of the Downs. The owners of the
mill are Messrs C. and E. Beard sons of the late Mr Stenning Beard.