Mill News from Windmill World

Mills weekend - 12th and 13th May

9 May 2012 12:00 UT

Just a quick reminder that it is National Mills Weekend this coming weekend, 12th and 13th May. The best resource for finding which mills are open in the UK as a whole is the National Mills Weekend website, and the Welsh mills organization is making a big effort at welshmillsnews. If you prefer to get your updates via social media outlets, then check out twitter and Facebook.

Victorian sheet music at the Bodleian Library

5 May 2012 12:00 UT

Via the Google Research Blog I learnt of an archive of Victorian sheet music at the Bodleian library in Oxford. One characteristic of this music is the often very attractive lithographs on the front of the publication. The reason for the post by Google was the fact that music is not catalogued yet, so searching it is not very easy.

By systematically looking through all the pages of covers, I found the following ones showing windmills. In general these appear to be artist's representations of mills, rather than illustrations of specific mills - though I did also find an illustration of the Laxey waterwheel in the Isle of Man.

Just for interest, other attractive covers I spotted whilst looking through included:

Two more very interesting photo albums at Windmill Hoppers

2 May 2012 12:00 UT

Gareth Hughes has added two very interesting albums of historical photos to the Windmill Hoppers Facebook group. These cover

Pictures from Murphy Windmill opening ceremony

1 May 2012 12:00 UT

Joe Bragado, a native San Franciscian, sent me some pictures from the opening of the Murphy windmill. He notes:

Much to my surprise yesterday as I was biking along the beach I saw (for the first time in my life) both of Golden Gate Park's windmills turning. The Murphy mill has been wonderfully restored (at much cost and effort) by a Dutch company that has been doing mill work for over 100 years. The Dutch mill was turning but needs much work done to it. The Murphy mill has not been hooked up yet to pump water but that is the plan.

More coverage of the opening can be found at: Ocean Beach Bulletin.

Turnell's Watermill, Wellingborough

18 Apr 2012 12:00 UT

I last reported on Turnell's watermill in Wellingborough in Nov 2004, at which point although it was clear that some machinery remained at the site, everything that was there was very overgrown. Since then Trevor Stainwright with occasional helpers has fenced and cleared much of the site, and provided the following details along with captioned photographs.

The mill remains are within a private fishing ground, but the owners have allowed Trevor access to the site, which now comprises a spacious compound accessible by a footbridge. The site is protected by a newly erected gated security fence, and has various work platforms spanning the pits and by-pass channel allowing access to the waterwheel and the sluice mechanism. There remains additional old machinery buried there (verified by pieces of metal sticking up through the ground), and a French millstone was recently uncovered. It is believed that the sluice machinery can be got working again.

Turnell's mill, Wellingborough, 1968. Built 1874 on former mill site which has been in existence since 1086 Domesday Survey.

First floor showing pulleys and crushers replacing traditional machinery.

Opposite side of building. Pulled down in 1975.

State of the site between 2007-2009. As well as clearing foliage I had to cut down a number of small trees.

Much of the remains were hidden from view.

To access the site I had to cross a brook by tip-toeing across a step ladder spanning the 14ft gap.

Aug 2010. The lengthy job of clearing the site. In the foreground are fence panels awaiting erection.

The Wheel, April 2012. Note the work platform bridging the by-pass channel, and the wooden safety rail to the left of the picture.

Summer 2011. Son Jonathon giving scale to the 15ft x 10ft waterwheel.

From the pit-wheel side. The bite-size damage to the outer rim of the wheel was caused during its working life and not during the demolition of the mill building in 1975.

Sluice gear. Hopefully soon to be repaired. Note green security fence in background. April 2012.

Rack and pinion of the sluice gear. Only the crank handle is missing. April 2012.

The youngest windmills in the UK

17 Apr 2012 12:00 UT

I was recently asked what was the last (flour) windmill built in the UK, for which the answer rather depends on exactly how you define your terms. Rather than give a definitive answer, I think it's worth giving a selection of the "youngest" windmills (some since demolished), from which you can choose the one that best fits your own personal definition!

Enham, Hampshire - a reduced scale post mill, with a small set of millstones, completed 2012
South Walsham, Norfolk - a totally new full sized post mill under construction since 1994 by millwright Richard Seago
Cann Mill, Dorset - a Portuguese style windmill built in 1970 as part of a commercial flour mill, but taken down in 2008 to allow the watermill it was on the roof of to be enlarged
St Margaret's Bay, Kent - built by millwrights in 1929, this looks like a traditional wooden smock mill, but rather than being used for flour production, it was used to fill a swimming pool
Much Hadham, Hertfordshire - an 8-sailer built by Sauderson's of Louth in 1893/4
Cockfield, Suffolk - built 1891
Thurleigh, Bedfordshire - built 1890
Downfield Mill, Soham, Cambridgeshire - rebuilt from smock to tower 1890
Patcham, Sussex - built 1885
New Mill, Swingfield, Kent - built 1885
Cholesbury, Bucks - rebuilt from smock to tower mill 1884
Wetheringsett, Suffolk - built 1883
Trusthorpe, Lincs built 1881
Waltham, Lincs - built 1879
'James and Sarah', Riddings, Derby - huge twin tower mills built 1877

I've been somewhat selective especially with 20th century windmills, where there are a number of other reduced scale mills I could have included. Also some full scale rebuilds from often fragmentary remains are in effect completely new mills - though there is a recent trend to design such rebuilds for residential rather milling use - with perhaps a token inclusion of the possibility of generating some electricity from the resultant structure.

For comparison, the last (commercially) new built flourmills in Holland were Vragender and Afferden, both built in 1957/1958. The United States has quite a number of 20th century windmills - including the replica post mill at Colonial Williamsburg, plus its various "clones", and a number of other Dutch designed and built working flour mills.

My thanks to the Windmill Hoppers group on Facebook, to whom the same question was posed, for coming up with a more comprehensive list than I did on my own.

Latest research into improved mill designs

NaN NaN 12:00 UT

In very early April 2003, I published an initial selection of improved windmill and watermill designs. The main point these improved mill designs address is that standard mills can only operate when water is flowing, or the wind is blowing, but at other times the mills must remain at rest. If only you could generate your own wind, or return the water to above the mechanism once again, then mills could operate without being limited by mother nature. With the increased awareness of renewable energy these days, it seems an opportune time to revisit that subject, and to see what new research has come to light.

Thus, the page on improved mill designs has been extensively updated.

Plans for Lytham Windmill

29 Mar 2012 12:00 UT

http://www.lythamstannesexpress.co.uk/news/local/1-5m-windmill-dream-1-4344846

John Sergeant travels to the South West

29 Mar 2012 12:00 UT

To find out how much has changed since Victorian photographer Francis Frith attempted to document life in Britain. Visits Lyme Regis Watermill.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01dlvwk/Britains_First_Photo_Album_Lyme_Regis_to_Barnstaple/

Cockermouth Mill booklet published

29 Mar 2012 12:00 UT

http://www.timesandstar.co.uk/news/other/on-the-trail-of-cockermouth-s-watermills-1.934797

Cat and Fiddle mill to be repaired

29 Mar 2012 12:00 UT

http://www.ilkestonadvertiser.co.uk/news/business/windmill-sails-will-turn-again-council-1-4316297

Brixton Windmill shortlisted for prestigious award

29 Mar 2012 12:00 UT

Brixton Windmill has been shortlisted for a Museums and Heritage Award for Excellence 2012.
The awards celebrate best practice within museums, galleries and heritage visitor attractions, and Brixton Windmill has been shortlisted in the Restoration or Conservation category.
Other attractions shortlisted in this category are the Dean Heritage Centre in the Forest of Dean, the White Tower in the Tower of London, the Extraordinary Ordsall Hall in Salford, and the Watts Gallery near Guildford in Surrey.
Jean Kerrigan, Chair of Friends of Windmill Gardens, said: "FoWG are really proud to have been shortlisted for this prestigious award. It is a testament to the great community support there is in our borough for Brixton Windmill.
"In partnership with Lambeth Council, owners of the building, and with the careful work of project architects Dannatt Johnson, this unique remnant of rural life has been conserved in the heart of inner London. The project to restore this Grade II* listed windmill was enabled by generous funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
"It would be wonderful if a small community-led project like the restoration of Brixton Windmill won this competition ahead of such important heritage sites as the Tower of London. We've all got our fingers crossed!"
The results will be announced at an awards ceremony on 16 May.
The total cost of restoring Brixton Windmill was £581,222. The HLF has contributed £397,700. Lambeth Council £55,130, Friends of Windmill Gardens £2,000 and non-cash contributions are valued at £126,392.
More information at http://www.brixtonwindmill.org/index.htm Photos at http://www.flickr.com/groups/ashbymill/pool/show/

Windmill at the Bellagio

29 Mar 2012 12:00 UT

Las Vegas themed casinos cover a very wide range of subjects from around the world, so it was very likely that eventually a windmill would enter into such a world. Whilst it's not a permanent fixture, the latest display in the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens at the Bellagio Hotel takes a Dutch theme, and with it comes 26 foot high mock windmill.

The mill appeared on the 7th March 2012 (presumably prefabricated somewhere else, and moved into place pretty much complete, since it was not there the previous day), with the surrounding gardens complete by the 10th. As of the time of writing, it can be seen on the hotel webcam, and is due to be in place until the 13th May.

The full press release by the casino reads:

DANCE INTO SPRING WITH JOY AND SPLENDOR AT BELLAGIO'S CONSERVATORY & BOTANICAL GARDENS
LAS VEGAS (March 14, 2012) - Spring has sprung at Bellagio's Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, now open to the public through May 13. This year's show debuts the enchanting musical sounds of the harp and violin, a rotating windmill and a floral exhibition showcasing tulips, azaleas, hibiscus and lilies. A carousel, waterfall and ceiling-hung hand-painted parasols invite the spirit of spring with open arms.
For the first time during the Conservatory’s spring display, guests can enjoy live musical performances 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. daily, from the Victorian Gazebo in the South Garden. The sounds of the harp and violin transport guests to a serene village through compositions and arrangements inspired by European musical masters like Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and Chopin.
Steps away and making its debut at Bellagio, a 26-foot-tall windmill, weighing approximately 9,000 pounds, lures visitors into a captivating garden surrounded by magnolia, weeping willow, bottle and plum trees. A stunning mother swan and her cygnets, made of 5,000 feathers and simulated fur, frolic in the cool water beneath a 24-foot-long stone bridge.
Near the entrance to the Conservatory, a colorful 11-foot-tall carousel, weighing 5,600 pounds, is accented with shades of emerald, plum, ginger and ruby and surrounded by large daffodils. Bumble bees made of preserved sunflowers and mums buzz about the daffodils while four custom-painted sets of over-sized traditional Dutch clogs complete the springtime ambiance.
In conjunction with the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art's new exhibit "Claude Monet: Impressions of Light", the Conservatory has created a floral interpretation of Claude Monet's Fisherman's Cottage on the Cliffs at Varengeville (1879). Located in the Giardini corner, the recreated painting is fitted within a 6-foot tall elaborately carved frame.
Also new to the spring display is the high-definition streaming Earthcam, allowing guests to experience the Conservatory from anywhere in the world. Perched above the Botanical Gardens, the Earthcam provides a live look at each seasonal transformation and transports guests to the beauty of Bellagio, around the clock, all year long.
The spring exhibit within Bellagio's Conservatory & Botanical Gardens is complimentary to the public and open daily, 24 hours a day.
          
Spring Display Facts
Display dates: through May 13
Total flowers on display per week: 8,283
Total flowers on display for duration of the exhibit: 82,830

Windmill:
Height: 26 feet
Height w/ blades: 36 feet
Weight: 9,000 pounds

Carousel:
Height: 11 feet
Width: 18 feet
Weight: 5,600 pounds

Picture Frame:
Height: 6 feet
Width: 8 feet

News coverage of the display includes:

The 2011 Fall Harvest display in the same location featured a watermill, complete with rotating waterwheel, which was in situ from mid October through to the 27th November 2011.

A different perspective on Harplinge Väderkvarn, Sweden

27 Mar 2012 12:00 UT

This is a fun video of the windmill at Harplinge Väderkvarn, Sweden.

SPAB Mill Section Spring 2012 meeting

11 Mar 2012 12:00 UT

The SPAB Mills Section held its Spring meeting, 10th March 2012, on the subject of "Traditional Milling in the 21st Century" at the Mills Archive in Reading. The subjects covered included:

Celebrating 10 years of the Mills Archive - Ron Cookson
The Traditional Corn Millers Documentary - Jon Cook
Traditional Milling for a Living
Sustainable development with Historic Mills - Jan Spaens
A perspective from the Netherlands - Wouter Pfieffer
The Mills Section in the 21st Century - Jon Cook

The meeting was live tweeted on the @ukmills twitter account.

Windmill Hoppers group on Facebook

11 Mar 2012 12:00 UT

There's a public group on Facebook which goes by the name of Windmill Hoppers. The name is explained thus:

In the world of football, those who like visiting a new ground each week to see a game are called 'groundhoppers' (as they hop from ground to ground rather than following one specific team through a season).
The word 'hopper' is meaningful to the world of windmills too. A hopper is a "small wooden funnel that supplies grain to the millstones via the shoe". Hence a group name relevant to visiting numerous windmills and a play on mill terminology!

The group been going for a few months, but activity has picked up on it recently. Of particular interest are a number of old photos which have been posted to the various group albums, leading to lively and informed advice from other knowledgable group members.

I particularly like the following images:

Stafford Radio at Broadeye windmill

28 Feb 2012 12:00 UT

Carol Lake, the presenter of the Sunday 4 - 6pm programme on Stafford Radio, sent me the following press release:

When money is hard to come by, it's extremely hard to find the funds to restore a historic building, especially one which has stood 'abandoned' for decades. However, despite its neglected condition, it is a much loved building by the people of the town that there was an almighty outrage when it was suggested it be demolished!
Just one minute's walk from the railway station along the River Sow in Stafford's glorious Victoria Park is the town mill on Broadeye. It has quite an interesting twist. For decades it has stood derelict. In the mid 90's The Friends of The Windmill (patron Tony Robinson) saved the mill from demolition and a roof was put on to cap the building from the extremes of weather, but still it stood all alone and unloved, boarded up, with trees growing wild inside the building.
In order to promote the mill to the town, and the town of Stafford to the world, in December 2011 StaffordRadio.com began a most unusual project to raise money to restore the windmill by broadcasting from the mill on Sundays. It is now the only radio station in the country to broadcast from a windmill! All the staff are fully paid up members of the Friends of The Windmill and professional broadcasters who work voluntarily in conjunction with the Mill's committee. They are all passionate about the mill, its renovation and the town of Stafford. It's a lovely building and an incredible atmosphere inside too.
Since the internet radio started broadcasting, it has taken off in a quite phenomenal way with listeners all over the world curious about the windmill, its history, and to see the start of the restoration of the building which was built in 1795. The radio station broadcasts from inside the curved building, with a specially made curved desk for the presenters. It has been used to showcase local talent and bands, and also is a showcase for local people to talk about their trade, crafts and charities. It is a community station which is amazingly well supported, there are no adverts. Instead, and this is a quite unusual concept; each programme is sponsored by a business, and this money is then used for the restoration of the building which eventually will become a premier heritage centre for the town (all the staff are unpaid, the passion for the maverick project is their only reward and satisfaction!)
You can see us at www.staffordradio.com and we would appreciate if you are able to visit our webpage, if you are able to click on 'Like' on our webpage, we would be most grateful for your support of our project to restore Stafford's windmill.

Windmills of Saudi Arabia

27 Feb 2012 12:00 UT

Yes, I've found another country with a mock mill, which is enough to get it coverage in these pages: Saudi Arabia.

Avoncroft Windmill storm damaged

27 Feb 2012 12:00 UT

Denver windmill under repair

27 Feb 2012 12:00 UT

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-16544552

Outwood storm damage

27 Feb 2012 12:00 UT

Inspiring mill tale from Malawi

27 Feb 2012 12:00 UT

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/50156-new-life-for-the-boy-who-harnessed-the-wind-.html

More Vestas job cuts...

27 Feb 2012 12:00 UT

http://www.physorg.com/news/2012-01-turbine-giant-vestas-jobs-year.html

Rosett Mill on Ebay!

27 Feb 2012 12:00 UT