It is not known exactly when or where the windmill first came into use. There is a tradition that windmills originated with the Persians and the technology spread to Europe with knights returning from the crusades. Certainly windmills were in use in twelfth century England and possibly much earlier. Brill windmill itself dates from around 1680 and is one of the oldest and best preserved Post Mills in the country. Standing around 600 ft above sea level, Brill Windmill has sails 27 feet long and 5 feet wide and, in its prime, would have been capable of milling180 lbs of flour per hour. It was last used in 1919 and in 1947 it was donated by Sir Henry Aubrey Fletcher to the care of Buckinghamshire County Council.