Whistler's Windmill

In the 1820s and 30s if you looked north from Basingstoke town centre two structures would dominate the top of the slope north of the River Loddon. The first was the tower of the ruined Holy Ghost chapel and the other was the fine brick built windmill erected by George Whistler in 1821. There were problems early on with the quality of construction but eventually this was a significant undertaking with the mill driving three grindstones for wheat, barley and oats. There was a house for the Whistlers, four cottages, a bake house and outbuildings.

The new windmill was unfortunate for in 1838 the London to Southampton railway compulsorily purchased one of the cottages and came very close to the windmill as it ran into its Basingstoke station, disrupting the roadway linking the mill with the town. Mr Whistler claimed that vibration from the railroad would harm the mill and that he was unable to re-let his cottages. Until then the undertaking appeared to be prosperous with the mill making a profit of £589 and the bakery £186 in 1838. Whistler was awarded compensation of £905 in 1838.

The final blow came in 1848 when the broad gauge Great Western Railway branch from Reading came past the northern side of the windmill completely disrupting the access route. The mill was demolished in 1849.