Geograph - photograph every grid square

In a mill context, tentering is changing the distance (gap) between the runner stone and the bed stone. Decreasing the distance results in a finer grain. As the stones go faster there is a natural tendency for the runner to rise and the tentering mechanism can be adjusted to counter this. In many windmills this is done by a governor that automatically compensates for the tendency of the runner to rise. In watermills it is done by hand with mechanisms of varying elegance. In this case, the second order lever at the bottom raises or lowers the footstep bearing that the spindle carrying the stone nut is supported by. The adjustment is by a vertical lead screw on the other side of the frame and in easy reach of the miller.

The mill is a complete working (currently needing new sails) windmill in S. Norfolk. The site is owned by the Norfolk Windmills Trust. The brick mill was built in the 1860s to replace a post mill on the same site. Once wind finished an oil driven hurst frame was used to grind flour. Billingford ceased commercial use in 1959.

The building is open at certain times of the year (check NWT website).