The Rottingdeen Project: Smugglers Windmill

 

Known as Beekon Mill, This Famous old Smock-mill was built in 1802 and served for the best part of 80 Years. in 1905 it was renovated and in 1923 it was leased to the preservation trust.

In 1929 Brighton Corporation became the landowner and completed its full renovation in 1935.

in 1966 it was repaired with new sweeps and weather boarding by the Rottingdean Preservation Society , subsequent repairs were also carried out in 1972 and in 1988 where the sweeps were again repaired.

 

It isn't by mistake or design that the sweeps are placed in the position that they are in. We discovered a local legend that suggests that while the sweeps are in the  X  position it signals smugglers out at sea that it is not safe to land hence the village is safe from the many ghostly smugglers that haunt this Sussex  village.

 

'Picture taken from an exhibit inside the grange museum at Rottingdean,

 

 

 

 

  

The area where the windmill is situated was one of the warning beacon sites commissioned by King Henry VIII to be lit as part of a chain of beacons across the south coast to warn of impending invasion.

The Grounds are noted as being an ancient burial ground with several human remains being unearthed including that of an ancient warrior buried with his sword, which was later stolen.