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Don’t forget National Mills Weekend May 9 and 10th see windmills for details

New Publication from Norfolk Windmills Trust - Mills of the Halvergate Marshes: Reedham Marshes & Ashtree Farm

A 38 page colour guide
Price: £2.50 + 50p post and packing

Available from the Trust: telephone 01603 222705
Norfolk Windmills Trust, County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich, NR1 2SG. Email: alison.yardy@norfolk.gov.uk

Norfolk’s Windmills by river, road and rail

A5 size, paperback, illustrated, 74 pages
PUBLISHED IN FEBRUARY 2008

PRICE £6.99 + £1.50 P&P

The book describes and illustrates more than 30 corn and drainage windmills, including Norfolk’s tallest, largest, smallest, newest and most unusual examples.

It describes some of the personalities behind the mills – the millers and the millwrights – and also looks at Norfolk’s modern alternatives to the traditional windmill.

Illustrated with 80 colour & sepia photographs, and 16 original maps and line drawings.

More information about the book, and sample pages, can be found at www.bonwick.co.uk

Copies can be ordered online via PayPal at the above web address.

Please direct enquiries to luke@bonwick.co.uk or telephone 07733 108409

The ‘Land of the Windmills Project – Phase 1’

The ’Land of the Windmills’ which was a partnership project between the Norfolk Windmills Trust, Broads Authority and Norfolk County Council is now complete.
The project has received Heritage Lottery Funding as well as grants from WREN (Waste Recycling Environmental Ltd.) and Broadland District Council. The projects aim was to restore two mills and a steam engine house on the Reedham Marshes and another mill at Ashtree Farm along the Acle Straight.

Polkey’s Mill has been restored to full working order and it will be possible, wind permitting, to demonstrate the mill to the public during publicised open days. Cadge’s Mill has received a new cap. The Steam Engine House which turned out to be a very interesting building has been restored and now houses an exhibition on drainage mills. The Steam Engine House was found to have its original 1880 corrugated iron roof which is quite rare and made from wrought iron rather than steel.

The landscaping works around Polkey’s Mill and the Steam Engine House took place last year and a regular grass cutting regime is now in place.

Ashtree Farm Mill has received a new cap and sails but due to the time constraints of the project at the time and, the workload on the millwright it was impossible to complete the mill to full working order. This summer a contract was let with the millwright to make and fit a complete set of teeth for the headwheel and pitwheel. These works should be complete by October.

Billingford Mill

The sails were removed from the mill earlier this year following a sail survey, which identified a significant amount of rot. The sails needed to be removed to allow a more thorough survey ahead of a programme of repair. The sails will be removed from the common soon and the repairs will be planned to take place over the winter.

Hardley Mill

Hardley Mill Trust Ltd has received funding to restore the mill to full working order and to build a visitor centre as well as moorings. The total project cost is £332,000. Funding has been received from Leader +, WREN (Waste Recycling Environmental), South Norfolk Community Fund, Mr and Mrs J Capps, Fitzmaurice Charitable Trust, Chet Valley Development Partnership and the Friends of Hardley Windmill.

Work is progressing well and below is a summary of what has been completed on site so far. In order to construct the cap and curb, it has been necessary to equip the Nissan hut with an even concrete floor as well as install various power sockets for easy access for the power tools.

To make it possible to work on the top of the mill in the dry, a four foot wide steel ring has been constructed and set on top of the mill to give working space under the mills temporary roof. A “Spiderman” installed the required lightning conductor at the same time as the roof had been removed.

In September a 44 ton lorry arrived from Denmark to deliver the laminated sail clamps and stocks. The operation caused great apprehension, especially for the lorry driver, on account of the restricted space and the soft ground for such a heavy load. The gate posts had to be sawn off, to provide access and egress, but thankfully all went to plan.

The pontoon units have arrived, which will form a landing stage for visitors to moor their boats. Once the mill is open to the public, there will be a visitor centre and toilets on site.

To build the visitor centre, a test pile was drilled to obtain the ground condition and the required depth for the piles on which the visitor centre would be built. The visitor centre is now built and when fully finished will have a sedum turf roof.

The well seasoned French oak has been cut and shaped which will provide the base for the cast iron track and the construction of the cap will begin shortly.

As regards the impellor better known as a ‘turbine’, this has just been dismantled and will be worked on in due course. The windshaft and curb have just been delivered from the foundry and the whole project is due for completion by November 2008.

Old Buckenham Mill

A contract has been let for the painting of the mill but ahead of the works taking place a sail survey was carried out, which identified areas of rot in the sails. The sails will need to be removed for repair and these works will need to be planned over the winter. Works have continued on site with the painting of the windows and cap.

St Olave’s Mill

During the gales in January 2007 the mill was unfortunately tail-winded. A gust of wind hit the back and side of the cap from behind and lifted the cap and left it pivoting on the curb. Whilst working out the best way to remove the cap and sails another period of strong winds brought the cap and sails down. The remains were removed from site and a contract has been let with the millwright. Works have begun on rebuilding the cap and sails and are due to be completed next year.

Stracey Arm’s Mill

The mill was jacked upright earlier this year in an operation which lasted nearly four months and in May landscaping works took place around the mill to tidy up the site ready for the summer season. The mill was closed to the public pending a new chalk floor. The new floor will be laid during the first two weeks in September and once complete the mill will hopefully be open to the public. Work continues on writing the specification and schedule of works to complete phase II of the works, which will be to carry out all the repairs to the cap and sails. The Trust are hoping that they can go out to tender soon and that the works can be programmed to take place, starting next year.

The Millwrighting Bursary Scheme

The Broads Authority obtained £714k of HLF funding in April 2006 to assist with the regeneration of Broads Heritage Skills. The two areas identified that most needed this support was Reed & Sedge Cutting and Millwrighting. The scheme is now up and running and 5 trainees are now well into the first year of a 3 year course to learn about mill maintenance. The scheme is managed by the Broads Authority but lead support is being provided by the Norfolk Windmill Trust through their technical advisors. Over the 3 year course the trainees will learn about essential maintenance and repairs including, painting, brickwork repairs, joinery and engineering. They will complete an NVQ Level 3 in Building Maintenance (with a strong heritage focus) with scheme partner Easton College. The project has enjoyed support from the remaining local millwrights and it is hoped that by the end of the scheme there will be 5 new people who can assist with the day to day maintenance of our mills. To date the trainees have worked on a number of the trusts mills under the close supervision of two millwrights and the Trusts technical advisors.

Little Cressingham Mill

The mill has been included as a project within the Millwright Bursary Programme. The site has been cleared and tidied and Health and Safety works are awaited before the mill can be open to visitors.

Letheringsett Watermill nr. Holt

Friends of Letheringsett Mill.

Friends of Letheringsett Mill is a small but growing group of people interested in helping Mike Thurlow, the miller at Letheringsett watermill, achieve and promote the educational side of this fascinating project. We are still looking for more members with enthusiasm and a passion for mills. As a member you will have the opportunity to contribute in many practical ways using your particular skills, interests or ideas to help to complete various practical projects. Also to join in with or even help to organise fundraising and social events, like walks, talks & barbeques. Membership entitles you to free admission to the mill during usual opening times, which will include tours when available and a regular newsletter to keep you up to date with progress, events and activities.

Further information on the Friends of Letheringsett Mill, visit:
www.letheringsettmillfriends.co.uk

A detailed history of Letheringsett watermill and most of Norfolk’s other watermills, windmills and drainage mills can be found by visiting: www.norfolkmills.co.uk

Information regarding Letheringsett watermill opening times and where Letheringsett products can be purchased, visit: www.letheringsettwatermill.co.uk

Wicklewood Mill

The mill has been without sails for a number of years whilst works to the cap took place. The cap was completely rebuilt using as much timber as possible from the old cap. The new cap was fitted in July 2006 and it was hoped that the sails would have been fitted in July this year. However it was discovered that the paintwork on the sails had failed and the Trust is now having paint analysis carried out. Once the results are known then a programme of repainting can be carried out.

The possibility of converting unmanned former wind-pumps to produce electricity with computer control: feasibility study

by: Keith Clayton & Martin Scott (Norwich) and Simon Watson & Murray Thomson (CREST, Loughborough)

Please note: This is a draft preliminary feasibility study, funded through the LEADER+ programme and the views expressed within the report do not necessarily represent the view of the Trustees of the Norfolk Windmills Trust, individually or collectively.