From the Warminster Herald, Saturday 14 October 1882:
If you journey to that populous and thriving village of Imber you will see placed on a summit a remarkable object for Wiltshire, viz., a wind mill. This mill is somewhat antique, having been built sometime after the year “one” and thereby hangs a tale, for tradition saith that after it had been built a few years and enjoyed a monopoly of grinding in the neighbourhood, an enterprising neighbour conceived the project of building another mill; and, as in those days nothing could be done without a parish meeting, one was duly called, with the parson in the chair, when the case was argued with great warmth on both sides – whether a mill should be erected or not.
The mill of the future stood trembling in the balance, when the proprietor of the present one arose, and solemnly assured the company that so far from a new mill being of any use, it would be the greatest possible waste of money to build one, as there was not half enough wind to keep the present one going, and if the wind was divided between the two, neither would be of any use. This argument settled the question, and Imber remains with but one mill to this day.