Estate Windsor and Windsor Forest

Windsor and Windsor Forest is estate 6 in St. Croix’s Queen’s Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the 1750s. The windmill was blocked to store water after decommissioning. The inscription on the main entrance keystone says Built A.D. 1756. The windmill tower is in good condition.

The 1750 map indicates sugar cultivation but no structures in estate 6, part of a plantation including Queen’s Quarter estates 3 through 9. The first Beck printing had no sugar mill icon, and the second printing added a windmill in the center of estate 6. The inscription on the windmill indicates the mill was built in 1756. All the maps from the 1760s and 1770s also depicted a windmill.

The 1799 Oxholm map and 1856 Parsons map both depict a windmill. All the 20th-century topographic maps show a structure identifiable as a windmill at Strawberry Hill.

Ownership attributed to Johan Wilhelm Schoppen & Adrian von Beverhout. The 1760s and 1770s maps all attribute ownership to Laurence Bodkin. By 1790, ownership transitioned to Nugent.

McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.200) provides location and early ownership information. Locates the G.P. Windsor Mill with latitude and longitude information relatively close to what was found in the field.

Photos of Windsor and Windsor Forest, 2020s

Windmill tower on a slight rise obscured by a lot of vegetation.
Windsor and Windsor Forest windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance. The wooden slats on top of the mill are not original.
Two rectangular stones set in fieldstone of mill exterior. The top stone says "Built A.D. 1756" and the bottom stone says "Rebuilt A.D. 1840"
Windsor and Windsor Forest windmill exterior from the west with a close up of the inscription stones. The top stone indicates this windmill was built in 1756 and the bottom stone indicates it was rebuilt in 1840. The second bagasse opening was likely part of this rebuild.
Windmill tower with crack going from the top of mill to top of arched opening near the bottom of the image. Vegetation obscures the bottom of the mill tower.
Windsor and Windsor Forest windmill exterior from the east featuring the window at the lower portion of the image. Notice the large crack down the east face of the mill, from the top of the mill to the window. This may have inspired the mill to be opened up and no longer used to store water.
Windmill tower visible behind a stone wall with vegetation on top of it. One arched opening blocked up visible.
Windsor and Windsor Forest windmill exterior from the southwest featuring the bagasse opening. The image is taken from a pit where carts could come received the crushed cane for removal from the mill.
Interior plaster wall of windmill with small arch opened, revealing daylight and fields beyond.
Windsor and Windsor Forest windmill interior facing south featuring the juice trough opening. The mill had been blocked to store water and this opening later partially reopened.
Semicircle of blue sky interrupted by wooden slats added fairly recently. Interior walls covered with smooth plaster and the tall, narrow machine slot open to reveal vegetation beyond.
Windsor and Windsor Forest windmill interior facing north featuring the machine slot. The smooth plaster finish was installed to seal this mill to store water. The material blocking the machine slot was later removed.

Historic Maps of Windsor and Windsor Forest

the U.S. Geological Service topographic maps of 1958 & 1982 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 6, currently named Windsor and Windsor Forest.
The 1958 and 1982 photorevision of the USGS topographic map show ruins identifiable as a windmill at Windsor.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 6, currently named Windsor and Windsor Forest.
The 1921 USCGS topographic sheet shows Windsor Mill in the southeast quadrant of Windsor.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 6, currently named Windsor and Windsor Forest.
The 1907 map identifies an estate at Windsor.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 6, currently named Windsor and Windsor Forest.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill on a ridge in the south side of Windsor and Windsor Forest.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 6, currently named Windsor and Windsor Forest.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows a windmill on a ridge in the south side of Windsor.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 6, currently named Windsor and Windsor Forest.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership of estate 6 to Nugent.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 6, currently named Windsor and Windsor Forest.
The 1767 Küffner manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a settlement but no sugar mill and attributes no ownership in the area of Windsor and Windsor Forest.
Snippets of all 5 annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies made from 1766 to 1770 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 6, currently named Windsor and Windsor Forest.
All the annotated and manuscript copies of the Beck map include a windmill in estate 6. All these maps attribute ownership to Laurence Bodkin (together with Queen’s Quarter estate 5 and Northside B Quarter estates 3, 4, 8, & 9).
Snippets of both Beck maps printed in 1754 & circa 1757 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 6, currently named Windsor and Windsor Forest.
The first Beck printing had no sugar mill icon, and the second printing added a windmill in the center of estate 6. The inscription stone on the windmill indicates it was built in 1756.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 6, currently named Windsor and Windsor Forest.
The 1750 map by Cronenberg and von Jægersberg indicates sugar cultivation but no structures in estate 6. Ownership attributed to Johan Wilhelm Schoppen & Adrian von Beverhout.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 6, currently named Windsor and Windsor Forest.
During the French period, no settlement is indicated near Windsor and Windsor Forest.