On 2nd December 2003, the BBC Radio 4 programme You and Yours included a
feature on Heage windmill. You can
listen to the recording.
Heage windmill is the only working 6 sailed tower mill in the UK. The
programme included interviews with Alan Gifford, the local windmill
expert, and John Boucher, the mill's consultant millwright. The mill
was purchased by Derbyshire County Council in 1967 for £300, when it
was a virtual wreck. A superficial esthetic restoration was then
carried out. However locals wanted more, and eventually a full
restoration was considered. Although various grants were obtained for the
mill itself, the £400,000 project also needed money to work on a
drying kiln and visitor centre, and to bring an access road and services
to the mill, which are not eligible under many grant schemes.
The Landfill Tax Credit Scheme helped provide the answer, since their
grants are available for eligible ancillary projects, and the Managing
Director of
WREN who administer the tax money
explained a little more about the scheme.
WREN grants also have helped a number of other mill restorations, including
Polkey's Mill
in Norfolk.
Heage windmill features on You and Yours