Chartered Surveyor and 3D Modelling expert Andy Beardsley has been back to Kibworth Harcourt Post Mill. As part of a visit with SPAB Staff and volunteers, he has captured the mill in 3D. Here, he tells us a bit more about the process and its importance alongside all the work he does at Terra Measurement recording historic buildings.
Kibworth Harcourt Windmill: Care, Continuity, and a Moment in Time
Kibworth Harcourt Windmill stands on high ground in Leicestershire, visible from miles around when the sails are dressed in colourful Christmas lights. As one of the few surviving post mills in the country, it is both a remarkable piece of historic engineering and a constant reminder that such buildings endure only through sustained care. Two years on from the completion of major repairs, the windmill once again reads as a confident landmark - upright, complete, and clearly cherished.
In November, a small group gathered at the mill for a visit that was neither ceremonial nor urgent, but quietly important. The Kibworth Harcourt Windmill volunteers were joined by Jonny Garlick and Chi-Wei Clifford from SPAB, and myself to carry out ongoing care: dressing the sails with Christmas lights, completing a modest but essential topographical survey (plus a bonus 3D survey), and taking time to mark the moment with mince pies and mulled wine.
It was, in its own way, a quiet celebration of continuity.
For the volunteers, the Christmas lights have become a source of pride. When illuminated, they can be seen from a considerable distance, signalling that the windmill is not only standing but actively cared for. The lights bring people together each year - volunteers, supporters, and visitors alike - reinforcing shared responsibility for the building and its future. This sense of community custodianship is not incidental; it is fundamental to the long-term survival of a structure like this.
Alongside the seasonal ritual, we carried out a topographical survey of the ground around the mill. This work was prompted by a practical issue: uneven ground currently prevents the repaired mill from rotating through a full 360 degrees, as it was designed to do. Historically, the ability to turn the mill body was essential, both to exploit prevailing wind directions and as a safety measure - allowing the sails to be pointed into storm winds to avoid damaging back-winding.
Careful landscaping, informed by accurate survey data, will allow full rotational movement to be restored with minimal intervention. This is not about change for its own sake, but about enabling the mill to function as intended, while respecting its setting and fabric. It is a small piece of work, but one that reflects the principle that ongoing care and informed maintenance matter just as much as major repair campaigns.
Interactive 3D Model of Kibworth Harcourt Windmill. Click to explore.
During the visit, I also captured a high-definition 3D meshed and textured model of the windmill in its repaired state. Terra Measurement had previously undertaken detailed 3D geospatial survey and monitoring work at Kibworth Harcourt during the repair phase, providing essential data to support decision-making at a critical time. This model, however, serves a different purpose.
Captured after repairs were complete, it is a moment-in-time record: the windmill repaired, standing quietly, and at rest. We have gifted this model to SPAB and to visitors to the SPAB website as a form of digital legacy - an accurate “memory twin” that allows the building to be explored, understood, and enjoyed by many.
At a time when we continue to lose historic buildings through decay, neglect, or lack of resources, such records carry real value. They are not a substitute for care or repair, but they do ensure that knowledge is not lost. If nothing else, they provide future generations with a truthful record of what once stood, how it was built, and how it was looked after when it was in good order.
Importantly, this digital record sits alongside - not above - the lived reality of the building. The enduring strength of Kibworth Harcourt Windmill lies in the consistency of its care: volunteers returning year after year, modest interventions carried out thoughtfully, and a shared understanding that stewardship is ongoing. There is nothing remarkable about this in isolation; it is simply what works.
Standing back at the end of the day, with the sails dressed and the mill complete against the winter sky, the sense was not of a project concluded, but of a responsibility being carried forward. That is perhaps the most telling measure of success.
As the year draws to a close, we would like to wish everyone connected with SPAB a very Merry Christmas, and to recognise the quiet, consistent work being done across the country to care for old buildings. Kibworth Harcourt Windmill stands as a reminder that such work - undertaken collectively, thoughtfully, and without fuss - is what ensures these structures remain part of our shared landscape for generations to come.
Learn more about Kibworth Harcourt Post Mill and Terra Measurement's last work at the site - Capturing Kibworth Harcourt Windmill. Or see more of their work at St Andrew's Chapel.