Ca 200 BC stone quern invented in Roman Empire
1215 the bushel (8 gallons by volume) and the quarter (8 bushels) became legal measures in the Magna Carta
1420 first reference to a tower mill in France
1526 first reference to a smock mill in Holland
1604 100 feet high tower mills began to be built in Holland
1660s grain imports began in England
1700-1800 cast iron introduced in windmill gears, wheels, racks, cross
1745 ground level fantail invented by Edmund Lee
1750 fantail on cap invented by Andrew Meikle; this had a worm gear on a toothed rack on the curb ring
1759 five sails engineered by John Smeeton
1768 rotating grain cleaner patented by Andrew Meikle and Robert Mackell
1772 spring sail invented by Andrew Meikle
1785 roller reefing sails patented by Robert Hilton
1787 ball governor patented by Thomas Mead
1789 another version of roller reefing sails patented by Captain Stephen Hooper
1796 payment by toll for milling abolished, fixed fees became mandatory
1807 patent sails introduced by William Cubitt; these are the type now on Holgate Windmill
1834 roller milling process for flour invented by Jakob Sulzberger in Hungary
1885 roller mill built at dockside in Hull by Joseph Rank, made 1.6 tons of flour per hour