I have previously posted about both Redcar and Coatham Windmill, generally regarded to have had six and four sails respectively.

This photo of Redcar mill is the only one that seems to be in general circulation, sadly no sails were present at this time.

Recently Ian Weber has suggested to me that the photo widely regarded to be Coatham Windmill could also be Redcar.

His suggestion is that a similar wall with buttresses at the bottom of the photo seems to still exist today ?

Whilst it does look very similar, the argument against this is the two white brick chimneys visible in the background of that same photo (a block of 8 and block of 4) which match those still to be seen on Station Road today.

Let us now turn out attention to a series of old etchings which show the windmills. If we’re looking west at the back of St Peters then the six sail mill is in Redcar to the right and the four sail mill, although appearing close is actually in the distance in Coatham.

This 1836 view east at the tower end of St Peters, shows the six sail mill near to the church as expected.
A similar view looking south-east from the seafront, again shows the six sail mill very clearly.

But finally just to throw a seed of doubt, this 1840 etching appears to show two mills with six sails !

So what of the third windmill ?
It stood near Marsh House Farm at Warrenby and was destroyed by fire in 1815.