Buzza Hill. Buzza Tower.
The remains of a windmill, restored (as far as building was concerned) in 1912 as a memorial of the visit of King Edward VII on 8th April 1902.
Although there was a mill recorded as being destroyed in the 14th century on the island, milling was otherwise very rudimentary until Garrison was constructed and the two windmills were built for the men and livestock, but came to be disused before 1726, when a new windmill was erected on Peninnis Head. Being the only mill on the islands, and taking into account the vagaries of wind, every household had a stone mill (quern). Unfortunately even that proved to be insufficient and by 1796 the mill was in such disrepair that milling was done on the mainland, with the attendant shipping and costs. In 1820 it was decided to build the mill on Buzza Hill; it had jib sails on eight poles, similar to mediterranean windmills, and so acquired the name of 'the Spanish Mill'. However, most Cornish windmills followed that pattern. F E Gibson had taken two photographs of the Buzza Mill, with its sails.
23rd May 2009
