Map/aerial photo of the area around the mill
Wray Common Mill:
tower
- residential conversion
On 26th August, 2004, the cap of Wray Common Mill near Reigate in Surrey was removed, marking the first stage of the
restoration project. The mill had recently been purchased by Paul Baker of Westcott, Dorking. His colleague, David Tate,
is managing the programme of repairs to the mill. David has given several interviews to regional news reporters and radio
stations to promote local awareness of the project, and welcomes visitors keen to see the work in progress.
Before repairs could commence the mill had to be entirely scaffolded, allowing the precise state of decay of cap and fanstage
timbers to be assessed. The decayed timbers of fanstage and gallery were then removed to ground level, having been exhaustively
surveyed and recorded - on paper and on camera - beforehand.
The cap was lifted in three stages. First, the conical roof was freed from its supports and lifted to ground level. Next, the
iron windshaft, together with the brake wheel and brake, were removed. Finally the timber cap frame, which was in a rather fragile
state, was carefully reinforced and lifted off the curb.
Cranage was carried out by Bronzeshield, a Dartford-based company, and the lifting was supervised by Luke Bonwick of Bonwick Associates
(Milling Heritage Consultants).
The three main components of the cap will be transported to a nearby workshop in the coming weeks to allow repair work to begin.
On site, the second stage of the project will involve internal and external repair of the tower brickwork and curb castings and
is to commence immediately.
Reigate,
Wray Common Windmill 1907
{Reproduced courtesy of The Francis Frith Collection}
Reigate, Wray Common Windmill 1907, Surrey
{Reproduced courtesy of The Francis Frith Collection}
Reigate, Wray Common Windmill 1919, Surrey
{Reproduced courtesy of The Francis Frith Collection}
Reigate, the Windmill c1955, Surrey
{Reproduced courtesy of The Francis Frith Collection}
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