Historical Records
Dorset CRO Microfilm Ref 1 - a copy of PRO ref LR2/214
1577 - Some early Court Books of Portland are held at the Dorset CRO
1577-1588 (Ref PE WYK MA1-3)
1607-1626 (Ref PE WYK MA19)
These have been looked at by RC but both in a very difficult hand with the earlier records in Latin ! [RC Jan 1997]
No records found
1608 : Folio pages 93-150 relate to Rentals & Survey of Portland dated 15th September 1608
Holders of lands and strips are listed under their village where they lived. Holdings are all over the island. Details of field names, rents etc have not been recorded here except for the reference to the windmill. However, all references to the family names relating to the windmills in later times have been noted.
Wacombe Edmund Pearce
(Wakeham) Dorothie Kames land by the windemill ......3d [p131]
Henry Stone 21 pieces of land [p128]
Southwell George Pearce
Edward Pearce
Robert Pearce
Benj Pearce
Edward Pearce
Elizabeth Pearce
Richard Stone 8 pieces of land [p136]
To date, the above is the earliest record of a windmill on Portland. (Noted in A Mills Placenames of Dorset). Unfortunately the windmill itself is not listed. Two mills appear on Simplon's map of 1626. Note that the Pearce & Stone families feature with familar Christain names ! No mention of Angel or Blanchard.
1627 - 3rd September : Richard Pierce of the Island of Portland, miller, in ÂŁ20. Bound over to the next Sessions for tipling without licence and keeping disorders in his house on the sabboth dayes'
1770 - Leniesmill Field or Droop Field
Link to Portland family "Muddle" and name of mill " Leniesmill" http://www.muddlefamilies.info/portland/00wg.htm#_ftn12
Grace (formerly Pearce - children by first marriage Alexander & Alice Pearce ) widow of William Muddle (m approx 1692)
Thirty-five years later Grace died and was buried in Portland Churchyard on 16 June 1770. Grace’s will dated 8 November 1761 and proved by Dorset Archdeaconry Court on 3 March 1772 made her two sons Robert and William her executors. To her son Robert she left her dwelling house in the village of Fortuneswell on Portland; her one half acre and half a yard being in Portland aforesaid in a place called Wottledown; an equal share with his brother William of her part of a pasture close called Gerslands and her one half part of one over yard of arable land in Trade and also all her property of a way called Church Point; her table, chest and copper furnace; her utensils and implements of brewing as long as he continues to sell beer and ale, then to share them equally with his brother William. To her son William she left twenty guineas; her house and a garden plot in the village of Chesil on Portland; her garden plot lying to the north of John Allen's house in the village of Chesil; one Yard of arable land being in the East Field upon Kingbarry and also one over yard more of arable being in the Droop Field otherwise Leniesmill Field in a furlong there called Above Four Acres; an equal share with his brother Robert of her part of a pasture close called Gerslands and her one half part of one over yard of arable land in Trade and also all her property of a way called Church Point.
Footnote [12] Source : DHC Ad/Dt/W/1772/44 Will of Grace Muddle proved by Dorset Archdeaconry Court.
1798 : Lieutenancy Records (Source DCRO LB/1/1)
Record Book 1798 - 1852
Millers and Bakers August 1798
Portland Hundred
Edw Pearce Sen 1 No Mill + 1 No oven
Edw Pearce Jun 1 No Mill + 1 No oven.
1799 - Proceedings of Defence of the County of Dorset : Sub division : Dorchester - Portland 2 No windmills
1804 - Survey of Dorset - Made by the Dorset Yeomanry under the Plan of Arrangement for the defence of the County in pursuance of Acts of Parliament in 1804. Of some 149 mills recorded the two windmills at Portland were the only windmills recorded
1826 - 9th April Edward Pearce miller was amongst list of Persons subscribing for Bridge across Ferry (Ferrybridge) = Edward Pearce miller gave ÂŁ5 - also listed was his son Edward who gave ÂŁ1.
1839 - Toll Bridge built at Smallmouth (Ferrybridge) to replace the ferry to the Isle of Portland.
1841 Census : Southwell - Edward Pearce aged 60 Miller
Reforne - Edward Pearce aged 55 Miller
Ambrose Pearce aged 15 (son)
Easton Richard Pearce aged 35 Baker
1849 - Post Office Directory : Edward Pearce, miller, Reforne
(note other Pearces were recorded as farmers, blacksmiths, carpenters, Landlord of New Inn Easton,)
1851 Census : Easton - Richard Pearce aged 49 Master Baker
Reforne - Jane Pearce aged 67 widow (25 Reforne Street)
Edward Pearce (son) aged 25 Master Miller
1855 - Portland Directory : E Pearce miller of Reforne and A Pearce miller of Easton
1859 - Portland Directory : G Pearce miller of Reforne and E Pearce & A A Pearce millers of Easton
1861 Census : Southwell - Edward Pearce aged 83 widower Formerly Miller
Jane Pearce aged 36 daughter
Reforne - Jane Pearce aged 77 widow
Robert Pearce aged 38 quarryman
Edward Pearce aged 36 Miller
1865 - Weymouth & Portland Railway opened. Line up to Easton was not opened until 1902.
1867 - Portland Directory : (Kellys) Edward Pearce and A Pearece millers of Wakeham
1866 : Elizabeth Otter - 4th February 1866 (extract of diary)
In those days, they cut wheat and barley wi' sickles. Women tied in sheaves and put it in snooks to dry. I did this 'cause I lost my job as maid, course I didn't get enough to eat and doctor told me "you'm need more food maid". I got 1s day cuttin' wheat etc, carter got 10s to 18s a week and a lil' ol' house ter live in. The chillum had a month's holiday at harvest time and had to go to fields teasing wheat, barley and oats.
When volk wanned flour to make bread they took grains to mills. Were two of 'em and ruins be there still. I 'ave 'eard people say how they winnowed ther wheat, take it ter mills, have it ground into flour, take it home to Southwell and bake cakes afore they'd anything ter eat . Ol' miller would take so much flour for his pay, I 'ave 'eard 'em tell how they burned crusts of bread and poured water on it ter make tea.
After Harvest time they'd drashed ter wheat wi' tressels or thrails. Then they'd clean out ter chaff or winnow it. To do this they placed a large piece of canvas on ter ground, placed wheat on it, then 'em filled siezes wi' wheat and shook 'em on ter wind, the chaff blew out leaving ter wheat clean, many bushels of wheat and barley were cleaned in this way.
The children had a month's holiday at harvest time and had to go to the fields teasing* wheat, barley and oats. After the farmers had taken the grain from the fields, the children had to pick up what was left in big handfuls. This they took home.
(Source : Portland Underhill Library - Portland Souvenir Mag 1971 RC ref otter66)
-other accounts are not in Dorset!! but translated to normal English !!
*teasing - a local term ? This practice was commonly known as gleaning elsewhere in the country
1875 - Portland Directory : Ambrose Pearce miller and farmer of Easton
1889 - Portland Directory : (Kellys) Robert Pearce miller of Easton
1890 - Portland Directory : Edward Pearce miller of Easton & Edward Pearce miller of Southwell
1895 - Portland Directory : (Kellys) Robert Pearce miller of Easton
1901 - New Quarry near Cottonfields : The large Bottomcombe masonry works near Easton Square, was expanded by Webber & Pangbourne with the opening of this large quarry near the windmills.
1968 - Haylands cornfields near the Windmills were harvested for the last time to make way for a new estate of 400 houses.
1983 - North mill : Surviving windshaft & one sailstock removed from north tower and taken to the garden of nearby Portland Museum. See illustrations
PFRG : Portland Field Research Group
(RC Nov 96 - DCM library Boxfile P4 - extracts found before)
R W Wollage PFRG Newsletter 4 - Feb 1970 - p3 - also in "Gallets & Scaffin" booklet by Bob Wollage 1975 (Tophill Library)
1) Water from the Rock
Walking across the fields to Weston, we pass the old windmills out on Haylands and by the side of the northern mill, the water bubbles continuously summer and winter and runs down through Watery Lane and looses itself in the quarries of Coombefield. I have no doubt that in the long, dim past, that was one of the reasons why the mills were built there.
Bob Wollage
On the following page (4) : Jaffa's Pond received all the water from Watery Lane.
RC Comment : This is a useful observation by a very well respected Portlander. The water source and mills would have been focal points in the field systems. The Coombefield Quarries were dug in early 1900's - these probably drained the water / destroyed the pond ?
Stuart Morris PFRG Newsletter 12 - March 1974 - p2
(Stuart is "the Portland Historian" and extremely knowledgeable on all island history - my comments at bottom of extract with lettered references)
2) Portland Ancient Windmills
At Cottonfields, Growlands or Droopfield (I hope these will soon be clarified - see para 1 [dealt with placenames]) near Haylands these have a rather obscure history. One was certainly in use in 1891 for grinding local corn or grist. The two stone structures have for centuries been two of the most important features in the Island landscape having been shown on all navigaton charts, being easily visible from the channel. (a)
Windmills have always been rare in Dorset and it is recorded that Portland was the only place where two could be seen working together. All Portlanders know that if the wind was not strong enough to power them both, one was stopped ! (b)
The structures are at least 500 years old and there were no doubt earlier ones on the sites. (c) They are circular with battered walls (d) of stone rubble and are shown on a map by William Simplon dated 1626 and on Hutchins map of 1720.
The doorway of the south mill has ashlar jambs and elliptical heads and both mills have ashlar dressings.
When they were last in use, they were of a pattern that had long been obsolete elsewhere. The central spindle spar (e) upon which the top turned to catch the breeze was of wood 3 feet thick and there was no vane to aid the sails coming into the wind.
Reports state that outside the mills were stone races (f) upon which ran a carriage which was worked by handpower. This was used to trim the mill - really hard work. It should also be possible still to see the races today.
Prewar accounts state that the foundations are of pebbles mortared together to a depth sufficient to keep out rats. (g) In the Napoleonic scares there are reports that the Royal Portland Legion of Coast Fencibles (billeted at the nearby Lugger at Weston or the George at Reforne) maintained a watch from the top of the southward mill, a use repeated many times since including during the last war. (h)
Only a few years ago there were Portlanders who could remember taking their corn to the mills, calling back later for the flour to make the greyish but by all accounts wholesome bread from it. (i)
Only one sail remains, resting on top of the north mill but these structures are a link with Portland's past which must at all costs be preserved along with their rural setting . We sincerely hope that it will never be necessary to quarry the land around them and the adjoining fields. (i) Long may the mills have a clear and commanding view of the medieval fields and drystone walls (in desparate need of repair) onto the channel. S. Morris
RC Comments : ( ) are mine as references
a) I am not so sure of this ! I have tried to see the towers from the sea south of Portland on numerous occasions with no luck. Although the mills are shown on maps and charts, I have never seen any alignments made using them.
b) A lovely tale and good Portland humour although being some 143 metres apart, the interaction is unlikely ! The two mills were probably built to work as a pair to allow maintenance to be carried out at regular intervals without stopping the ability to mill.
c) No known proof for date of 500 years (ie 1500AD) & possible earlier mills. - possible though !
d) Walls are of the classic parallel sided type with only a small batter at the top.
e) The "central spindle" mentioned was in fact the windshaft hanging on the remaining sail spar. The former is 21" square in section (now in museum garden). See windshaft
f) Stone races and carriage - Did these exist ? No sign of them although no known excavation carried out (a geophysical survey required ?). Not shown on Pye's sketch. Used on French mills.
g) Again not proven - seemingly little point as rats could run through the doorways or up the walls and in through the loop lights or cap !
h) Following my correspondence with Mr Lanning (on the Fencibles) - no proof of the mills being used as lookouts during the C19th. The mills had no openings in the caps and unless the observer was on the roof it is hard to see that this was practical. A concrete floor was cast midway up within the south mill for a platfrom during WW2. Does anyone know anything about this official vandalism !!
i) Is this a reference to such a record in Elizabeth Otter's book. (see above)
j) A large quarry (extending Perryfield) was dug close to south mill in 1991 ! ARC Ltd funded renovation of south tower. Coombefield quarry between mills was filled in by this spoil. A trade off !!
NB : DCM boxfile had no later PFRG material than 1975
Extracts in Tophill Library
Feb 69 : Note of quernstone found in archeological excavations. Note another quern stone was found in 2004.
Nov 83 : Windshaft moved to museum (Echo cutting 15/11/83 noted old Portlander who said that in 1800 the towers were raised by 5 feet). RC comment - no sign of this and it the towers would have been far too short prior to this !
Note of plan of north mill made by Reg Perry. (Peter Trim gave me a copy) - will put on this website asap
May 88 : Letter from Mr Martin Watts (mill expert) ref windshaft after his visit. Rarity of this type of shaft etc.
RC first saw this letter in Portland museum - Tophill Lib has copy ?
Books :
"A Portland Vase" - a local book by Sarah Pearce notes that the windmills existed before Doomsday !!
No windmills in the Doomsday anywhere in the country !
Article in Dorset Evening Echo (December 1980)
An article found in the local library taken from the daily newspaper of 1980 - unfortunately before the writer's interest started ! Mr Charles Moore was 90 years old then and would have been a marvellous source of first hand information.
Unfortunately, the article repeats much of the misinformation to be found locally about the mills.
