Waterwheel repairs
The 'paddles' on the waterwheel often need repairing. They are made of metal and wooden parts, bolted together, that dip in and out of water. They are vulnerable to debris that floats downriver.
The last major repairs on the wheel were completed thanks to help from Folkestone & Dover Water Services Ltd. During this time flour was milled using the electric motor, installed with help from River Parish Council.
This quick tour shows you pictures of what you can see inside the Mill, starting from the flour bagging room (level 2) up to the top floor, level 6.
The diagram, right., shows the system by which grain is made into flour by a series of machines.
Crabble Corn is unique in having such an early automatic milling system as developed in the USA in the 18th century (see "How the mill makes flour"). It has been preserved complete and is still in working order.
Click on any part of the diagram to see a picture and
description of that floor.
On level 2, the light-painted wooden casing hides the big wooden gears by which the waterwheel drives all the machinery in the mill.
You'll see the miller turn the wheel on the right to open the sluice gate in front of the waterwheel.
Looking up at the ceiling, you'll see the base of the millstones on the floor above (see diagram). You'll see the miller test the wholemeal flour flowing down the wooden chutes from each set of stones. In the 19th century these chutes poured the wholemeal into the horizontal screw conveyor that runs round the wooden casing. This carried it back up the mill to the separators.
Level 2: bagging floor
Still on level 2 is one of Crabble Mill's unique features - a set of governor balls (right) that regulates the speed of the waterwheel. Because there were four mills upstream, the flow in the river was liable to fluctuate - depending on whwther they were working.
This mechanism adjusted the sluicegate automatically, to keep the waterwheel turning at the same speed.
A similar governor mechanism linked to long metal levers adjusts the gap between the stones, to keep the fineness of the flour constant.
Level 2: waterwheel governor
Level 3: millstones
You see five sets of millstones upstairs on Level 3 - three in working order, and two cut away to show what's inside. In each pair, the upper stone revolves, the lower one is fixed on the floor (see diagram).
When restoration of the mill is complete, grain will feed into the wooden hoppers above each set of stones from the big grain bins that that take up much of the upper floors. It'll feed down the black pipe from the ceiling.
On Level 4, you'll see we're working on the next major step in the mill's restoration. On the right is the separator - a giant rotating sieve. This enabled the 19th century miller to meet his customers' demand for white flour and bread, by sieving the brown bran and wheatgerm bits out of the wholemeal - or as much as he could. The "bran shaker and grader" on the left sorted the rejected bran by size, so it could be sold for different uses - mainly horsefeed (see diagram).
Local helper Maurice Smith has erected unobtrusive perspex safety screens, so you can now see all these machines - and the hoists - in motion once again.
Level 4: separator and bran shaker/ grader
Level 5: Ratcatchers, hoist drive and separator
On level 5 you'll see life-size dummies of the rat-catchers in action with their dog. The wooden drums in the centre of the picture turn the leather belts (now hanging loose) that drive the hoist.
When the safety screens are completed, we'll be able to demonstrate the hoist in action - hauling heavy sacks up the outside of the mill on a long chain (see diagram).
In the background is the second separator (see level 4). This one will be left partly dismantled so you can look inside.
On the top floor of the mill, level 6, you can see this grain cleaning machine called the "Eureka smutter". Under your feet at this point are two large grain bins, each holding up to 20 tonnes of grain (see diagram). An automatic elevator carried dirty grain into the smutter, where it was whirled round and blasted with a jet of air from a fan. This blew dust, mould, and other unwanted bits down a wooden tube at the back, whilst the heavier grains fell into another chute that led to the clean grain bin.
Here you can also now see the hoist in action - a spectacular sight!
Level 6: Eureka smut machine- grain cleaner