Medmerry Mill

Medmerry Mill is a well-known sight in Selsey and even appears as the logo of nearby Medmerry School.

The mill that we see today, standing on the west side of Selsey at the entrance to Seal Bay Resort has gone through several changes in its lifetime.

Today’s structure is Grade II listed, a great example of a tower mill; originally built from local red brick in around 1827, however sits on the site of an even older post mill.

This post mill was built and mounted around one single, vertical post so that the whole building could be turned in order for the sails to be most effective, whichever way the wind was blowing.

The mill remained in working use until 1890 before falling into disrepair. It wasn’t until 1908 that the tower mill was repaired by James Walter Holloway, a Shoreham millwright who started the company of Holloway’s Engineers in 1863 – this later became Holloway Brothers. The mill then ran, driving two pairs of mill stone and producing flour, feed and finally grinding peppercorns until the early 1920s.

Once again derelict, with all four sails badly damaged the mill was inactive and decaying until complete restoration in 1960s, during which the fan stage and tail was removed.

Medmerry Mill’s sails were badly damaged in the great storm of 1987 but were later restored and can be seen in their full splendor today.