What do we still need to know?

1. Why is the mill called Orwell Mill when it is in Barrington?

We think the most likely explanation is because the clunch used to construct the mill came from the Orwell clunch pits (see http://www.orwellshistory.org.uk/page_id__113_path__0p2p62p.aspx). The deeds of the property include a right to obtain more clunch from Orwell pits should the need arise - a right we have yet to exercise! Alternatively, the name could originate through previous village boundaries (perhaps the mill was originally within the Orwell parish) or it was owned by someone living in Orwell (the Prime family)?.

2. How old is the windmill?

The article in the Cambridge Hundreds and other information makes it seem that that the mill was a reconstruction, with the original dating form 1604. Further research is needed to establish more facts on this.

3. Who were the previous owners and workers at the windmill?

We know from the records the farmer / owner of the land on which the windmill was built - Septimus Prime. We also know the name of the person who originally developed the mill into a residential dwelling (Anthony Sullivan) and the people who took on the mantle to develop the site further (Bob and Sue Tydeman). But what of the people who worked here as millers? There are various inscriptions on the walls of the windmill that may refer to its working life. For example, what were the following inscriptions referring to?

• 'H.W. 1890'
• The Nixon, March 29th 1839, 3st 9lbs
• T.S.
• 'T.N. 7 Stone 2lbs Sept 8th 1867'
• G.H.
• W.H. 1850
• J. Colcy...
• H. PRIME (possibly refers to Henry Prime, one of the Orwell farming family who owned the mill until its sale in 1959).
• J. P.
• C. SLATER

All the above inscriptions are in 'old style' fonts, so it may either be owners, millers, or maybe simply school children from long ago climbing up a derelict windmill for some old-style graffiti!

More local research will be needed to establish the relevance and meanings.