Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request Eastham windmill 16th & 17th centuries

I posted this on oldwirral but I gather this forum might be better...

Thanks to a fellow researcher, I have the will of a Thomas Spark of Eastham, who in 1591 leaves his "dwelling house and appurtenance the milne called Estam milne" to his son Thomas.

In his turn, in 1624, son Thomas left to his son Robert: "all my house Messuages or Tenements and all and singular, houses, edifices, buildings, gardens, orchards, yards, lands, tenements, hereditaments and appurtenances together with my wyndie come milne and all and singular that appurtenants together also with my Indenture of Lease of and concerning the same house messuage milne and premises". There was a proviso that his wife Margery be the "chief ruler" of the mill, and retain profits from it.

I am having trouble locating any information about it: where it was? when it was built? who built it? etc. Some husbandry items were also part of the wills, eg a team of oxen, carts, ploughs, etc. After this I descend from a younger son who worked land in Poulton & Spital & Bebington - separately, (and then other Sparks who farmed land in Prenton/Oxton ie Woodchurch in the 17th century and then Brimstage, Thornton Grange and Storeton in the 18th and 19th centuries) so I don't know what became of the mill. It's not listed in "Windmills of Wirral". I considered the Bromborough windmill but it wasn't built until the early 1700s so too late.

Ideally I'd like to go even further back - before the parish records began, to find out how long there were Sparks there and how they came to be there, but I wouldn't know where to begin as I live some 200 miles away

Very many thanks for any help you can give

Fiona

PS the info about the later Sparks is a little by-the-by, but I will be following up which farms they had etc, so any pointers on this also welcome

There is an area in Eastham called Mill Park. Could this be named as once there was a Mill on the land? That is all I can think.

Apparently there was an Eastham Windmill in Liverpool from 1250 to 1644 - see Here (use Ctrl-F to search for Eastham). I doubt if it is the mill you are looking for as your man came from Eastham, but may be of interest?

Source: Wikipedia - List of Windmills in Lancashire

thanks to Historybook , lifted from Hooton Park topic

https://www.wikiwirral.co.uk/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/434001/Re_Hooton_Park.html

Good call Alan - and I've replied to your message

Great find Billy - I didn't come across the info at British History Online, and I wouldn't have though about checking Liverpool or Lancashire records. After studying it, I wonder if the writer is wrong to identify Eastham mill as being located in Liverpool. He gives no reason or reference.

I wonder if the mill was owned by either the crown or the Duchy of Lancaster (and both when the Duke of Lancaster became king), and leased ("farmed") by the good burgesses of Liverpool. And that Liverpool people had to cross by the Eastham ferry to the mill - thus paying tolls twice, once for the ferry (and back) and once to use the mill.

I also wonder if it was part of the Moore estate? According to the article, they owned the Townsend mill and Sir Edward Moore in the 17th C was having trouble getting people to use his "mills". I shall study it some more... I definitely think it is the mill in Eastham that is being referred to, and that the only other windmill in Liverpool was the Townsend mill.

Fiona

Thanks Inflatable bone - great map that would confirm Alan was right then, Mill Park it is.
In fact, looking at streetview, it looks as if the mill, or at least, the mill and or the house were just below Tesco or may be the Spa. Maybe in the car park behind... What a shame

Fiona

Could this be of any use to you Fiona and maybe give a bit more on the Sparks family. It is much later, but looks as if someone has done quite a bit of research already.
Sparks La, Thingwall, Wirral (not to be mistaken with Thingwall,in Liverpool) is named after Jack Sparks, a local farmer in the area, possibly with connections going a long way back.

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/BIRKENHEAD/2001-10/1003783922

No I think the mill is in the land nearer the motorway (between Mill Park and the motorway).

Have a look if you can find it on this

http://maps.cheshire.gov.uk/tithemaps/TwinMaps.aspx?township=EDT_147-2

This Mill is on the 1875 OS map (you can zoom in and out) and then you can then click on a more modern aerial view

Maps from Burdett in 1777 have all shown a mill at this site. Bryant's map (1831) names it as Eastham Mill.
The site is closer to Hooton than Eastham.
I calculate the site to be on the fields behind the Little Chef on the A41 at M53 junction 5.

The old map is showing eastham village road.before A41 was built bypassing the village.I make Mill park estate runs up to the area showing Eastham mill
The old map is a good find

Comparing the old map with current satelite image, the enclosure shown where the mill was seems to correspond quite closely with the area where the Travelodge is now.



The confirmation seems to come from what now occupies the site...

Mill Nurseries is a good clue wonder if they have any information if they bought the land on any of the deeds. Waiting for them to ring me back.It is nearer to travel lodge

Final proof, from the excellent Twin maps site above



The mill was definitely on land now occupied by the nursery.

http://www.hslc.org.uk/show_pdf.php?item=1896_84.pdf

Hoping the link above is accessible for you.

It takes you to an article written in 1896 about the mills of Liverpool. (I'm trying to work out how to access the whole article as there may be more info.)
In 1394 Eastham mill appears to have been leased to Liverpool corporation, and may then have been leased to a Thomas Fletcher in 1451.
There may or may not be a connection, but a Thomas Spark, son of Thomas Spark of Eastham, was apprenticed to Robert Fletcher, baker, for 7 years in February 1623 (1622 Julian calendar).

Well done on locating the mill at the nursery - the maps are extremely helpful. Thank you.

And thanks to those of you enjoying this thread who have sent me private messages! We aim to please!

Fiona

http://www.hslc.org.uk/show_pdf.php?item=1903-1904_170.pdf

According to this article written 1903-04, the mill worked up to 1895.

Fiona