Hessle Whiting Mill: The 200-year-old mill which stands in the shadow of the Humber Bridge
Hessle Whiting Mill is a striking industrial windmill built around 1810, and overlooks the Humber Bridge, which was completed 53 years ago.
Sitting on the edge of Humber Bridge Country Park, the mill was designed to crush chalk from a nearby quarry, producing a finely ground calcium carbonate powder known as whiting, used as a filler for paints and for cleaning glass.
Originally, the tower mill was equipped with five sails, cleverly designed so the canvas could be adjusted from a looped chain which hung down to a balcony that ran midway around the tower.
It was operated by a small workforce, with often just six men and a foreman.
The production process was complex.
Chalk whiting was made through a three-stage method: first crushing the chalk, then allowing it to settle, and finally drying it.
Once complete, the product was carefully bagged or packed into casks ready for shipment.
Visitors to the foreshore are able to see the mill standing as a reminder of Hull’s industrial heritage.