Holmes Avenue
Hove
BN3 7LE
Nestled in the heart of Hove, the West Blatchington Windmill was built in the 1820s to produce flour and animal food for the local farm. It is called a ‘smock’ windmill, as its silhouette resembles the smocks worn by millers and shepherds at the time it was built. This type of windmill normally has eight sides, but the West Blatchington mill only has six, making it unique in the world of windmills! It was painted in 1823 by English Romantic painter John Constable and is now Grade II listed.
Ideal for family days out, the mill has a wonderful museum bursting with early maps and photographs, as well as information on village life in the 1800s and the local manor house which was demolished in 1955. The original mill operating system is still in place over five floors and visitors have the chance to explore and learn how to turn grain into flour. Take a journey back in time to a fascinating era of Brighton’s agricultural history.
