The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings

Sails turn at Bardwell Mill once more

Other recent news

Bunbury Mill reopens

Lothersdale Mill appeal

Moulton Mill has new sails

Mills Section campaign

Help save our mills today

Mill Writing
 

If you have a news story about mills please complete this template (Microsoft Word document, 29KB) and send it to the SPAB office (millsinfo@spab.org.uk, or go to our contacts page) and we shall consider posting it on these pages.

Burum Windmill Disaster - a sad time for our Dutch Colleagues 

Jon Cook (Mills Section Chairman) commented: A very sorry sight from the weekend when Burum Windmill in the Netherlands was destroyed by fire… This was an important mill in its area – an historic mill with much original fabric.

Posted  17 April 2012

Bunbury Mill in Cheshire reopens to the public 

The Grade II listed Bunbury Mill in Cheshire is reopening to the public later today having been closed for two years. Believed to date back to 1844, the mill was built to replace a previous mill that was destroyed by fire.  It was restored to working order in 1977 by North West Water after being close to demolition in 1966. Ownership of the mill has now transferred to the Bunbury Watermill Trust.

The site has been used for corn milling since 1290 and the mill once supplied Chester with flour, delivered to bakeries in the city by horse and cart. For more information visit bbc news or Bunbury Mill

Posted 27 March 2012

Disappointment as Lytham Winmill denied Heritage Lottery Funding

Lytham Heritage Group were disappointed this week when their £1m bid for Heritage Lottery funding was denied. The group, who have already raised £426,000 by fundraising,  are however determined to find another way to bring the windmill back to life.

For more information see: www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/community/mill-fails-in-lottery-bid-1-4374079

Sails in the news

Danzy Green post mill at Avoncroft lost a sail in the recent gales. See www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/8991395/Britain-braced-for-second-blast-of-storms.html.

Holgate has now got its five sails back. See: www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/9429063.Sails_fitted_at_Holgate_Windmill/.

[Posted 6th January 2012]

Bake Your Lawn – the grow-a-loaf challenge 2012

Would you like to help take kids on the Real Bread journey from seed to sandwich?

If you’re a teacher or work in a community youth group, from the end of January 2012 the Real Bread Campaign will show you how. For details of how to get hold of a handful of organic wheat and a free grassroots guide on how to grow it, mill it, bake it and eat it, visit the Bake Your Lawn page in the schools section of www.realbreadcampaign.org.

[Posted 7th December 2011]

Lothersdale Mill appeal

Photograph © Chris Allen

A new appeal is being launched for funds to restore the magnificent 45ft diameter, 1850 wood and iron waterwheel at Lothersdale Mill, near Skipton, North Yorkshire. Details of the mill and its waterwheel can be found on the website at www.lothersdalemill.com.

Lothersdale Mill was built in 1792 on the site of a corn mill. In 1835 the mill was converted to worsted spinning and an engine was added. In the 1850s the mill was extended, a larger waterwheel was built, a larger engine installed and a 90ft chimney built to serve a new boiler and economiser. James Ellison designed and built the magnificent wheel, which occupies the wheel chamber to this day. The wheel is a scheduled ancient monument, and some of the mill buildings are listed. At the time it was closed in 1932, the mill ran 190 looms and had a total of 1700 spindles.

[Posted 30th November 2011]

Photograph by courtesy of June Barrow

Mills Section campaign

The Section is currently involved with saving the medieval mill at Wakefield.

This mill, called Old Bridge Mill, gets its name from being on the same site as a medieval bridge and chapel. It sits on the waterfront alongside the newly-restored Calder and Hebble Navigation warehouse and the newly-opened Hepworth Gallery.

The good news is that English Heritage have objected to its demolition, so we are fighting alongside them on this. There could be a variety of uses for the mill, including putting it back in working order with a cafe for visitors, an education facility, exhibition gallery or even a local museum.

Further reports will be posted here, so keep looking.

[Posted 9th October 2011]

Over the years since it was founded in 1929, the Mills Section has given support to the repair of many mills. Despite this, we have lost many through neglect or for other reasons and so it is all the more important to save what we have left, whether they be working mills or just for visitors to look at.

However, as costs have risen, the Section no longer has enough funds to do justice to all the mills that need attention, and for this reason we are asking for your help.

Please download and read our campaign leaflet (PDF, 315KB.) All contributions are welcome.

[Posted 30th November 2010.]

• Back to top