Essex & Suffolk Group visit to Upminster Tithe Barn and Windmill

Event details

Friday 18 July, 11am

Join the SPAB Essex and Suffolk Group on a visit to see the finished re-thatching of the barn, following our visits earlier this year to see work in progress.

We will then go on on to see the nearby smock windmill, built in 1803, and which was restored over seven years and completed in 2023.

This will be SPAB’s third visit in seven months to see the finished re thatching of the barn, having previously seen the barn with the old thatch removed and then with the re-thatching in progress.

For people who have been on any of the previous visits to Upminster’s 15th century tithe barn, this is a chance to see the barn in all its glory now that all the scaffolding is down. The new thatching is truly remarkable and a tribute to all those involved in the project. The barn’s structural timber, external woodwork and historic brickwork repairs have now also been completed. For those who have not been to the barn before, it is a chance to see how a building can be brought back to life having become virtually unusable and on the Heritage at Risk Register. The barn now has a future.

Members of the project team will be onsite to answer any questions.

Following this, we will go to see the nearby smock windmill, built in 1803, and which was restored over seven years and completed in 2023.

The mill was a commercial operation until 1935 when it closed. In 1937 SPAB helped secure the windmill by getting Essex County Council to put an order on it to stop its demolition. In 1955 it was listed Grade II*

There will be a presentation on the history of the mill, the restoration and current issues and aims of the managing charity followed by tour of all the floors in the mill.

You will need

All visitors should have sturdy closed-toed footwear.

How to get there

Upminster Tithe Barn
Hall Lane
Upminster, Essex
RM14 1AU

Parking next to the barn.

Upminster Windmill
89 St Marys Lane
Upminster, Essex
RM14 2QL

Parking in Mill Field.

Coming from the barn by road, turn left out of the barn car park onto Hall Lane.
Keep straight on passing Upminster Station on your left to the traffic lights in the Centre of Upminster. Keep to right hand lane and at the lights turn right into St Mary’s Lane with St Laurence Church now on your left.
Pass two turnings on your right and The New Windmill Hall on your left.
Immediately after the group of houses on your right look for the entrance to the Windmill Field under the height restriction barrier.  
Parking is on the Mill Field but please come to the Mill end of the track before turning onto the grass.
Both sites are only a 10 minute walk from Upminster station

Accessibility

The barn floor and surrounding area are unbound so care should be taken.
Visitors to the mill will need to be able to manage the steep and narrow stairs unaided.
Only the mill has toilets, and there are none at the barn.
Anything we can do to make this event more accessible for you? Please email membership@spab.org.uk.

We may take photos or videos at this event to be used in future promotion, including in print and online.
Please note, photos and videos may be taken for personal use only and may not be shared on social media or elsewhere unless written permission from the building owners is given.

All bookings are subject to our Terms and Conditions.

Photo credit: Upminster Tithe Barn - Steve Huggins; Upminster Windmill - Gordon Muir