Stone Cross Windmill

                               Registered Charity No. 1052827

Stone Floor

You can now see the grain as it travels down the shute into the Hopper.

The Mill has three sets of stones, the main pair, which are still in use, are the French Burr Stones.  

 

These grind the wheat into wholemeal flour which can be purchased in the Mill Store.

A very unusual feature is the fact that the Maker's Plate is still attached to the French Burr runner stone.  It is thought to be the only one in England and possibly Europe.

One set has been separated, the bedstone (which does not move) is still in place but the Runner Stone which revolves when the Mill is grinding is displayed showing the furrows.

There are also two sets of Derbyshire Peak Stones and a photograph displayed in the Mill shows the area where these originate.

As the furrows wear away with constant use, it would have been necessary for the Miller to call in an expert to sharpen or "dress" the stones regularly.  Using a small tool which can be seen in the Mill, he would chip away at the stones until they had the perfect indentations.  This was an extremely skilled job.

Apart from grinding wheat for flour, the Miller would have been grinding barley and oats for animal feed.

Once again you follow the grain,now being ground into flour, on its journey down the Mill onto the next floor.

Click on diagram to go to Spout Floor