Copton Windmill
Origin
Grid reference	TR 014 596
Coordinates	51°17′58″N 0°53′10″E / 51.29944°N 0.88611°E / 51.29944; 0.88611
Operator(s)	Faversham Water Company
Year built	1863
Information
Purpose	Water pumping
Type	Tower mill
Storeys	Three storeys
No. of sails	Four
Type of sails	Patent sails
Windshaft	Cast iron
Winding	Fantail
Fantail blades	Six blades
Type of pump	Plunger

Copton Mill is a tower mill in Copton, Faversham, Kent, England that was built in 1863^[1] to pump water for Faversham Water Company's waterworks.^[2] It is just south of junction 6 of the M2 motorway.

History

Copton Mill was built by the millwrights Spray and Harmer in 1863.^[1] The mill was marked on the 1858–72 and 1903–10 Ordnance Survey maps. It was worked by wind until 1930, when the cap and sails were removed and replaced with a 6,000 imperial gallons (27,000 L) water tank.^[1]

Owners

• Faversham Water Company
• Mid Kent Water Company
• South East Water

Description

Copton Mill is a three-storey brick tower mill which formerly had a Kentish-style cap. It had four patent sails^[2] 37 feet (11.28 m) long and 5 feet (1.52 m) wide^[3] carried on a cast-iron windshaft. The mill was winded by a fantail. It was rated at 15 horsepower (11 kW) and could pump 10,000 imperial gallons (45,000 L) of water per hour.^[2] An oil engine was used as auxiliary power.^[3]