History

Wimbledon windmill is a very unusual mill built in 1817. Like a post mill, the cap was supported by a very large post so that it could be turned to face the sails into the wind. However, the post was hollow so that an iron shaft could be taken down inside it to turn the millstones on the floor below. It was therefore known as a hollow-post mill.

The mill was built by a Roehampton carpenter to serve the local community. There were already large mills on the River Wandle but the local residents did not trust factory produced flour and wanted to grind their own 'organically' produced bread.

All the milling machinery was housed in the two storey brick building with only the inital drive from the sails and the fantail gearing in the tower above.

The mill stopped working in 1864 when the Lord of the Manor, the 5th Earl Spencer, announced his intention to enclose Wimbledon Common and build himself a new manor house on the site of the mill. Local opposition led to a legal battle lasting six years which was resolved by the Wimbledon and Putney Commons Act of 1871 which handed over the commons to the local community, together with the burden of maintenance and an annuity to be paid to the Spencer family.

After it stopped working, the mill was converted into living accommodation for six families. One room has been retained to give an idea of the living conditions in 1870.

A major restoration took place in 1893 which resulted in a number of changes to the building, including the removal of the post supporting the cap. The cap now turns on an iron bearing inserted at that time. Further repairs were carried out in 1975 after which the mill was converted into a museum. A grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund in 1999 enabled the sails to be restored to working order and improvements to be made to the museum.

Entrance

The diorama shows the mill being built in 1817 and the tools are those which would have been used at the time. The pit saw was operated by two men, one standing on the log and the other in the pit below. The remains of a saw pit are still visible in the grass near West Place, Wimbledon Common.

Central Area

There is a reproduction of the main wrought iron shaft which extended from the top of the mill to the ground floor. The cast iron Great Spur Wheel above would have driven two smaller gears, called stone nuts, which turned the millstones on the floor above.

The Victorian Room

After the mill stopped working in 1864 it was converted to accommodate six families. The Victorian Room shows one of the rooms as it would have looked in 1870.

The Model Room

Accurate and detailed models of English windmills show the development from early postmills of the 16th century to large tower mills built before the advent of steam power. The models show in particular the development of the fantail and sophisticated sails. By contrast there is a model of a modern windturbine to the same scale.

The Wimbledon Open House Festival Collection

Wimbledon & The Open House Festival

Landmarks, Faith, Architecture and Community in Merton
Wimbledon Village is often associated with tennis and the Common, But lying between the Common and Wimbledon town, this cluster of buildings tells the story of a community across three centuries. From a medieval parish site to a striking 1960s tent-roofed church, from a windmill that once ground corn, to a Victorian engineer's final resting place. This Open House Festival, step inside these landmarks, sacred, civic and domestic, and discover the layers of history, craftsmanship and community life that shape the area today.

PLEASE NOTE: Everything listed here is opening on SATURDAY 12th SEPTEMBER as part of the Open House Festival. Actual opening times will vary so please check the individual listings for times.

WHILE YOU’RE HERE: The area also boasts a wonderful selection of shops, bars and cafes to cater for your every need while visiting. You are guaranteed a warm welcome!

Walking map route on Google Maps:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/6sr2o5anemypXwhZA
ST MARK’S CHURCH: St. Mark's Place, SW19 7ND
A striking pentagonal church of 1968–69, where a tent-like timber roof and a glowing frieze of abstract stained glass by Keith New create one of Wimbledon's most surprising mid-century interiors.
15 EDGE HILL
New build rear extension to Victorian house, entailing extensive remodelling of ground floor to create a large open plan flow-through living, dining and kitchen space.
SACRED HEART CHURCH: Edge Hill, Wimbledon
Marvel at this great expression of grand ecclesiastical architecture, designed by Frederick Walters and built in stages between 1887 and 1901
ST JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH: Spencer Hill, SW19 4NZ
A Grade II listed Victorian Gothic church of 1875 by Sir Thomas Jackson, celebrated for its soaring red-brick nave, fine stone tracery and unusual buttress-mounted bellcote.
WIMBLEDON VILLAGE CLUB AND LECTURE HALL: 26 Lingfield Road (corner of Ridgway), SW19 4QD
Founded in 1916, peek behind the doors of this Victorian Gothic village hall of 1858, home to England's oldest continuously used social club and the Wimbledon Museum's 3,000-year local story.
ROGERS HOUSE: 22 Parkside SW19 5NA
Built as a private house for his parents, the project encapsulates Rogers' vision of a home built using industrially manufactured components. As such it was seen as a prototype for mass affordable housing. Opening for the Festival in association with The Wimbledon Society
WIMBLEDON WINDMILL MUSEUM: Windmill Road, Wimbledon Common, SW19 5NR
Climb inside a rare surviving hollow post mill of 1817, later home to six families and the spot where Robert Baden-Powell wrote part of Scouting for Boys, now a charming volunteer-run museum.
ST MARY’S CHURCH: 30 St Mary's Road, SW19 7BP
St Mary’s is Wimbledon’s ancient parish church and is a Grade II* listed building on a site of worship dating to the Domesday Book, rebuilt in 1843 by Sir George Gilbert Scott and packed with centuries of local history.
ST MARY’S GARDEN HALL: 30 St Mary's Road, SW19 7BP
Take a look inside this award-winning contemporary hall designed by Terry Pawson Architects, whose glazed wall folds open onto the churchyard garden and brings a light, modern addition to the historic St Mary's site.
BAZALGETTE MAUSOLEUM: St Mary's Church, 30 St Mary's Road, Wimbledon, SW19 7BP
Located within St Mary’s churchyard, this is the atmospheric Portland stone resting place of Sir Joseph Bazalgette, the engineer behind London's sewer network, in a rare chance to see this Heritage-at-Risk mausoleum up close.
WIMBLEDON VILLAGE: Shops, pubs, cafes, restaurants and beautiful architecture – A perfect end to your visit.
________________________________________
Together these places reveal Wimbledon Village as a place of extraordinary architectural, religious and cultural diversity. Whether you're drawn by Gothic spires, mid-century design, engineering history or a glimpse of contemporary residential architecture, Wimbledon Village has something for every Open House explorer. Wander the area, meet the volunteers and custodians who keep these buildings alive, and see it through new eyes. We look forward to welcoming you.