East Yorkshire was once known as the breadbasket of
Yorkshire and Skidby Mill is an iconic reminder of this heritage. It is to be
found on the eastern edge of Skidby. The windmill is a grade II listed building
which was originally built by Norman and Smithson of Hull in 1821 and extended
to five stories fifty years later. It has been milling stoneground wholemeal
flour from local-grown wheat almost ever since. The mill was most recently
refurbished in 2020 – when the sails, roof and windows were repaired - and the
adjacent buildings are also home to the Museum of East Riding Rural Life.
Signifying the ongoing importance of the windmill to the development of Skidby, you will find the sculpture of The Miller hidden away in the wilderness garden on the south side of the mill. It depicts a miller lifting a bag of ‘Thompson’ flour, which was a local flour merchant based in Hull from 1857 to 1962.