Estate Clifton Hill

Clifton Hill is estate 22 in St. Croix’s King’s Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the 1760s and decommissioned before 1856. The windmill was incorporated into a dwelling. The windmill is in good condition.

The 1750 map indicates no cultivation in estate 22. The first printing of the Beck map does not include a sugar machinery icon while the second printing includes an animal mill. All the annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies include a hand-drawn windmill, except the 1770 annotated map that only added landowner names.

The 1799 Oxholm map includes a windmill at Cliftonhill. The 1856 Parson map also includes a windmill at elevation 189 feet plus a tower without sails to the northeast of it and a square and another structure to the south. Both structures lie at the end of a road coming in from the west, the same as the configuration found on the 20th century topographic maps.

The 1750 map attributes ownership to Abraham Markue, likely an alternative spelling of Markoe. All the annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies attribute ownership to Isaac, Frans, or Abraham Markoe. By 1790, ownership transitioned simply to Markoe.

McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.56) notes that Estate Clifton Hill is in sugar cane and grassland in the 1920s. The estate house on the point of the bluff at an elevation of 188 feet sits above a fan mill at elevation 103 feet with no mention of a windmill.

Photos of Clifton Hill, 2020s

Windmill tower with three arched openings visible. Blue sky and hills visible in the background.
Clifton Hill windmill exterior from the southwest featuring the main entrance, bagasse opening, and machine slot. Notice the grading to allow access to the mill.
Close up of arch opening with raised keystone and rectangular block above it.
Clifton Hill windmill exterior from the west with a close up of the main entrance keystone. The rectangle above it would have an inscription, which is difficult to decipher here.
Windmill tower with a railing on top of it. The juice trough opening is on the right side and to the left of that is a conduit leading up to a set of spotlights.
Clifton Hill windmill exterior from the northeast featuring the juice trough opening. To the right, but not visible here, is the main entrance; notice how the grade differs to the right and left, allowing access to the mill while the sails would turn on the left side of this image.
Close up of square window with a raised keystone, indicating the window is original to the mill.
Clifton Hill windmill exterior from the east with a close up of the window.
Windmill tower with a square window centered in the image relatively near the top of the tower.
Clifton Hill windmill exterior from the east featuring the window.
Windmill tower with bagasse opening centered in the image. Opening has wooden door. To the left is the main entrance and to the right is the machine slot, both only partly visible.
Clifton Hill windmill exterior from the southwest featuring the bagasse opening.
Windmill tower with the machine slot centered in the image. The lower portion is covered by two wooden doors. The right half of the tower is covered with wilted, viny vegetation.
Clifton Hill windmill exterior from the south featuring the machine slot.
The lower half of the windmill tower with the main entrance centered in the image and the bagasse opening, which is covered by a wooden door, to the right.
Clifton Hill windmill exterior from the west with a close up of the main entrance.
Windmill tower with a railing on top of it. The main entrance is visible and a grassy ramp leads up to it.
Clifton Hill windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance.

Historic Maps of Clifton Hill

Snippets of the U.S. Geological Service topographic maps of 1958 & 1982 featuring King's Quarter estate # 22, currently named Clifton Hill.
The 1958 & 1982 photorevision of the USGS topographic map show ruins identifiable as a windmill at Clifton Hill.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring King's Quarter estate # 22, currently named Clifton Hill.
The 1921 USGS topographic map shows an icon at a 188-foot elevation identifiable as a windmill Clifton Hill. The location of this icon coincides with the windmill location on other maps and findings in the field.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring King's Quarter estate # 22, currently named Clifton Hill.
The 1907 map indicates a windmill at Clifton Hill.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring King's Quarter estate # 22, currently named Clifton Hill.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill at elevation 189 feet at Clifton. A tower without sails lies immediately to the northeast and a square and another structure lies to the south.
Snippets of the Oxholm map of 1799 and the copy by Lang of 1820 featuring King's Quarter estate # 22, currently named Clifton Hill.
Oxholm’s 1799 map and the 1820 revision show a windmill at Cliftonhill.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring King's Quarter estate # 22, currently named Clifton Hill.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows a windmill at Cliftonhill.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring King's Quarter estate # 22, currently named Clifton Hill.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership to Markoe.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring King's Quarter estate # 22, currently named Clifton Hill.
Küffner’s 1767 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a settlement near Clifton Hill with no ownership attribution
Snippets of all 5 annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies made from 1766 to 1770 featuring King's Quarter estate # 22, currently named Clifton Hill.
All the annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies of Beck converted the animal mill in estate 22 from the printed map into a windmill, except the 1770 annotated map that only added landowner names. All the maps attribute ownership to Isaac, Frans, or Abraham Markoe, with some spelling variation.
Snippets of both Beck maps printed in 1754 & circa 1757 featuring King's Quarter estate # 22, currently named Clifton Hill.
The first Beck printing does not indicate an animal mill in estate 22 while the second printing does.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring King's Quarter estate # 22, currently named Clifton Hill.
The 1750 map indicates no cultivation at estate 22. Ownership attributed to Abraham Markue.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring King's Quarter estate # 22, currently named Clifton Hill.
During the French period, no settlement is indicated near Clifton Hill.