The flat Eastern county of Lincolnshire has always been a place to see windmills. One of the most rewarding to visit is the Maud Foster Mill, on the edge of the attractive old town of Boston. Fully restored and operational, it grinds various types of grain into different flours.
Unusual Building
The building itself is very fine, and is built of grey stone. The most immediately striking thing is how tall it is, at seven stories high. It also has five sails instead of the usual four, and this combination of features makes it unique in Britain.
Once inside the front door, it’s almost like going back in time – there has been no unnecessary modernization, and glimpses of flour sacks and a sweet smell of flour dust make it clear that this is a working building.
Maud Foster
The mill faces one of the River Witham’s navigable “drains” or artificial rivers. Today, grains are brought to the mill by van, but up until the last century, they would have arrived by barge along the drain.
This drain is also named after Maud Foster. Her name is well remembered in Boston, but she is a slightly mysterious character. She seems to have been a local landowner several centuries ago – a widow, since women were not usually allowed to acquire land on their own account. However, according to “The History and Antiquities of Boston” published in 1856 by P. Thompson, there is nothing except hearsay to connect her with the drain, and the mill that now bears her name.
State of the Art in 1819
But whoever Maud Foster herself was, no expense was spared with Maud Foster mill. When built in 1819, it cost £1,800: a fortune in those days. The Industrial Revolution was in full swing, and the mill, with its iron gearing and patent sails, would have seemed ultra modern. The tower also has several windows – a bonus for the millers, no doubt, and something which makes it seem welcoming to visitors today.
Maud Foster Windmill worked until 1942. After this, it closed down and was preserved as a monument. However, it was not well cared for. Some of its surrounding buildings were demolished, and the mill was seriously at risk by the time its present owners bought it in 1987.
After restoration, it was reopened in 1988. Visitors were welcomed right from the start to explore the mill and see how the grain is ground:. (Open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday plus other variable times: Tel (44) 205 352188.)
Grinding the Flour
The huge sails make little noise as they sweep around, but inside, the three pairs of millstones and their accompanying iron machinery rattle, rumble and click as they work, and a fine thick layer of white dust lies over all the surfaces. It’s particularly interesting to visit the mill on a windy day, although of course the speed of the sails is regulated – if a windmill goes around too fast, the friction can make it catch fire or shake it to pieces!
Good to Eat
The owners claim that Maud Foster Mill is the most productive windmill in England. It supplies many gourmet baking businesses and local shops with stone-ground flour, which is heavier and more substantial than modern flour. Visitors can buy the flour, a selection of local produce and local history books in the little old-fashioned shop on the ground floor. They can also visit the tea room which offers cakes and scones baked from the home-ground flour: a pleasant end to the outing.
For more visitor attractions in Lincolnshire see Modern British Stagecoach Ride
