New sails for Herne mill, Kent 🌍

Millwrights from IJP Building Conservation (Luke Bonwick, Dan Barton, Ricky Quinton, Paul Sellwood) built new sweeps for Herne mill during March and April, which were placed on the mill with the aid of a crane in time for National Mills Weekend. Two of the sweeps are made from laminated baltic pine and two are solid pine baulks. An approximate 66% complement of shutters have been fitted; the striking gear has been returned to its original black colour scheme. It was possible to re-use many of the existing shutters, and some new ones which were made by the Friends of the Mill have been added. The sails were in use for the Saturday of mills weekend, and also in the sunshine of the subsequent weekend's Sunday opening, where they made a grand advertisement that the mill was open.