Guess the Place

[John Walker]

That was unexpected.  Something made me think of Herne Bay Pier when I looked at it.  Great photo.
I did many childhood walks to the end of that pier and saw the paddle steamers docking there.  Probably the Medway Queen.
A real shame the pier couldn't be saved.


Next one ...


Where is this outlet?

[shoot999]

Quick guess - Herne Bay pier ?

Spot on John. It is of my great uncle taken around  1920. Never quite sure of where it was until nearly a century later I came across some recent pics of the derelict pier on KHF.
Various urban explorer sites confirmed it.


Over to you. 

[John Walker]

Quick guess - Herne Bay pier ?

[shoot999]

Yes, Closed about five years ago Pete.


I recognised the aspect from a post on the old KHF. Having found the pub I then realised that not only had I spent five years during the 60s riding past on my way to and fro Chatham Tech and the Luton Annexe, but I lived in Sydney Road for a few years and had a view down Otway Street!


With the old KHF in mind; and due to a shortage of pics, Ive decided to repeat some of my old pics from those days. So these may go relatively quickly.

[pete.mason]

Well done, didn't know it was closed, used to play a big part in the pub music scene IIRC. All yours

[shoot999]

Cromwell Mini Mart.  Corner of Otway Street and Cromwell Terrace. Chatham. Formally The Portland Vase.

[pete.mason]

OK, more pubs, I think this is still trading.

[MartinR]

According to Historic England it was originally a smock mill.  In this form of construction the masonry was only ever a base, the mill tower was built of timber.  A broken link to http://library.kent.ac.uk/library/special/html/mills/kent.htm which agrees reasonably with John's reference.
In passing, there was another smock mill (Union Mill) in Lynsted which stood 7 furlongs south east of the church (1.4 km if you insist), presumably in Park Farm.  According to my friend Wikipedia a 1933 book recorded it as built 1736, standing in 1870, demolished a few years later.  Given that Champion's mill was built in 1843 was that a replacement or a rival that absorbed all the trade?

[johnfilmer]

Spot on Pete.


The old white weatherboarded steam mill is quite prominent. The whole site occupies the corner of Claxfield Lane, Berkeley House being a care home for disabled adults.

[pete.mason]

Champions mill Lynsted?

[johnfilmer]

Not Tonge either.


You might say that this mill was a winner...

[pete.mason]

Tonge Mill?

[johnfilmer]

I’ve only seen a couple of fairly distant photos of the complete mill, but I would suggest that the castellations were added to decorate the base, to make it into more of a feature or folly when the rest of the tower was removed. One reference said that it was gone by 1930.


The steam mill still stands, although without its chimney. At three stories tall and close to the road it’s a bit more obvious.

[John Walker]

Was the base castellated when it was still a windmill?

[johnfilmer]

Neither Tunstall or Sharsted.

The tower's remains are still used (not as a mill) and the building that housed its steam driven replacement still stands - just out of shot in the photo.