Penford's Mill

Penford's Mill
Mansfield Museum

This mill stood on the corner of Skerry Hill and Carter Lane.  It is a post mill and was called this because the whole of the upper timber building pivoted on a centre post. This meant the miller was able to turn this part to face into the wind, using the tail pole which can be seen just behind the steps.

The round brick building was used for storage and may have been added later.

The last miller was Mr Penford and he worked the mill from 1844 to 1881. Once it was no longer used as a mill the wood from the centre post was used as pannelling in the Old Meeting House.

Comments about this page

  • Daniel Guy Penford and Dinah Ward were my great grandparents. Their son John married Edith Fotheringham and my father John Robert Penford was their first born. Their son Alan was killed in the war.

    By Anita Penford Alexander (26/04/2022)
  • Dinah died in 1899 and Daniel Guy Penford died in 1937. They had 11 children. Henry Thomas, Harriet Anne, Amelia, Louisa, Daniel (b 1880d1880) , William, Helen, John, Daniel Guy, Frederick, Henry Guy.
    Daniel Guy is my direct ancestor.

    By Anita Penford Alexander (26/04/2022)
  • I totally agree with you regarding Penford’s mill location, always told as kids that it stood on the junction of Little Carter Lane & Eakring Road, anyone else to comment on this?
    Malc Taylor

    By Malc Taylor (24/02/2021)
  • Ricci Dinah as I found it spelt in records maiden name was May she married Daniel Guy Penford owners of the mill, in the 1891 census she was 40 with 9 children aged between 2 & 18. They all lived at 6 Parkes Road in Mansfield the childrens names were from oldest Henry Thomas, Harriet Ann, Amelia, Louisa, William, Ellen, John, Daniel & Frederick. There is a grave marker for Dinah in Nottingham Road cemetery Mansfield but only bears her name. I am the G.G.G Grandson of Daniel Guy Penford the Guy comes from his Mother who was Ann Guy from a wealthy family in Bottesford, Leicestershire who had their own coat of arms.

    By Stehen Walker (27/11/2017)
  • My great grandmothers parents owned the mill. She used to tell me stories when I was young. Her name was Dianh Penford. Her mother was Fanny not sure of her maiden name.

    By Ricci divito (16/07/2016)
  • Some people may not believe this comment, but from the Windmill’s footings, there used to be caves and passages down as far as the Waggon and Coals.  It is said that these passages were there to keep the poor people of Mansfield out of sight of the dignitaries of the town. The caves are not only on Ratcliffe Gate , but were also underneath and behind ,the Church Street shops where the ground rises, as far as the Grand. Proof of the caves and caverns were opened up when some of the work was in progress quite recently.. Unless anyone knows any other reason why Ratcliffe Gate is so called, I believe the answer to be quite obvious..

    By Alcurtis (13/07/2015)
  • My father was John Robert Penford who moved to Canada after the war. in the Mansfield newspaper 50 years later under ‘Those Were the Days’ it read

    “50 years from June 14 1948 a member of an old Mansfield family Mr John R Penford of Southwell Road W a 35 yr old former employee of the Mansfield Corporation highways dept is a passenger on the SS Samaria which leaves today for Quebec. By emigrating to Canada Mr Penford is realising a longheld ambition and his destination is Woodstock a small city in Ontario. To begin with Mr Penford will stay with a sister of Margaret Letherhead of Bowling Street Mansfield, who is a friend of his wife. As soon as he finds accommodation however his wife Rose and their three sons Norman 13, a Ravensdale scholar , John 11 who attends Carter Lane Junior School and three year old Alan will join him. Eldest son of Mr John and the late Edith Penford of Heywood Street, Mr. Penford is a native of Mansfield and is related to the Skerry Hill millers.”

    By Anita Penford Alexander (10/10/2013)
  • I am the G Great Grandson of Henry Penford and he was still milling corn in 1901 in premises on Radcliff Gate according to Mansfield business directory, He died in 1928 aged 94. He  lived in one of the yard’s off Stockwell Gate.

    By STEPHEN WALKER (17/02/2013)
  • Surely it was Little Carter Lane Corner! On the opposite corner were advertising hoardings though they were obviously at a much later date. On the corner referred to during WWII there was a water tank in case any incendiaries fell in the area. As  7 and 8 year olds we were playing on that spot and actually dug up some brickwork while we were playing our interpretation of War Games (A Slit Trench ). In the early fifties a house was built on the site I refer to and on the opposite side, I believe a bungalow or two were erected.

    By Malcolm Raynor (05/11/2012)

Add a comment about this page

Your email address will not be published.