Category: news

Miller for the Day

Neil opens the shutters to start the mill turning

Neil Oates from nearby Ripley is our latest Miller for the Day, ‘an experience I really enjoyed’ says retired headmaster Neil.

For his Miller for the Day gift, Neil was guided by a team of three qualified millers who were stocking up on flour for mill.

Neil Oates with the first of the flour he helped produce

Neil first learnt how to start and stop the mill and to control the speed of the sails.  He then assisted in the stone milling of some 125 kg of flour, using wind power to drive the stones – a really environmentally friendly process.

At the end of the day, Neil went home with a bag of flour he had helped produce and a certificate recording the occasion. He says it was a day he will never forget.

For details on how to become a ‘Miller for the Day’ click here

 

Cobweb Time

The leaves are falling, the nights are drawing in and there are cobwebs visible almost every morning… it’s cobweb time again at Heage Windmill, signalling the time when we close for the rest of season and give our hard-working volunteers a chance to have a rest – until next Easter at least!

It has become traditional at Heage Windmill to make a large cobweb (out of elastic), the size of which is determined by the number of ‘spinners’ who come along and help produce ‘the web of the year’ – under the guidance of our master spinner Lynn Allen.

This year we start spinning at 12 noon on Sunday 28th October and invite anyone who would like to try their hand to come and join us make the biggest web ever!

The mill will then be closed from  4-00 pm for our normal weekend opening until next Easter.

However, as part of the Derwent Valley Discovery Days we have arranged a special opening on Wednesday, October 31st when we will be open for tours from 10-0 am until 3-00 pm.

 

Tractor Day – Great Success

Tractor Day at Heage on Sunday 23rd September started on a grey, cool and damp morning but the sun eventually came out as we welcomed a stream of tractors and their ephemera.

The Nicholls Family from Wingfield Park, one of many family groups enjoying the tractors. Parents Becky & David with son and daughter David & Fern. They are standing next to a Massey Harris 744D c.1949

The poor start to the day did not deter some 35 assorted makes to find their way to Heage Windmill and many people came along to admire and pore over them.

It was amazing to see how the owners had managed to get 70 year old machines, which had worked hard all their lives, back to such superb condition.

Great interest being shown round a Fordson Standard 1943 towing a Living Van

Of particular interest was a green Fordson Standard, dating back to 1943 which, unusually, towed a ‘living van’ in which the driver had spent his ‘spare’ time when the tractor was not actually working!

John Allsop, who coordinates the tractor group, came on his 1947 Fordson Major whilst his daughter Libby was alongside on her 1952 Fordson Major.

John Allsop (Tractor Day Organiser) and Libby, his daughter, on their Fordson Majors. John 1947 Fordson Major E27N, colour Atlantic Blue & Libby 1952 Fordson Major E1A, colour Empire Blue

John said ‘Tractors run in my family’s blood and we just love coming to this wonderful site at the windmill’.

The winner of the best tractor of the day was judged to be an International Farm All F12 dating back to 1936 and owned by David Land, who received a certificate and a small trophy.

Winner of ‘Best Tractor of the Day’ Trophy and Certificate David Lane: International Farm All F12 1936

The bric a brac, tombola and burger stalls did great trade and there were many who took a tour round the 220-year-old windmill which still stone grinds the popular grades of flour, simply powered by the wind.

All profits from the day will go to Mill funds so thank you to all who supported the event.

Classic Bikes a Big Hit

Last Sunday, September 9th, the visit from over 300 classic motor bikes made for another memorable Heage Windmill event.

About 500 visitors came especially to see these gleaming, machines and talk to their proud owners.

As there was sufficient wind, many of those visitors were able to see the sails turn and quite a few toured the windmill and once again obtain flour, stone milled by the wind at Heage.

The classic bikes were of all types, ranging from tourers to out-and-out racers, and there were many well-known makes on show, such as BSA, Honda, and Royal Enfield.  Very notable were some beautiful Vincents, Harley Davidsons and an MV Augusta.

The best bike, judged by Colin Clemens and Les Cross, was a Triumph Trident T160, 1976.  The proud owner Bill Myles was presented with a certificate and the recently launched ‘Dave Cleaver’ trophy, commemorating a man who just loved bikes. This was presented by Colin Clemens who organised the bikes on show.

There was the ever popular Bric-a-Brac on site plus 2 tombolas – one for adults and one for children. Also, refreshments were in high demand both from the Burger Van – many thanks to Alex for bringing it – and from the Visitor Centre.

All in all the day was a great success, with great feedback from everyone involved. All profits, of course, go into keeping the mill working and improving the available facilities and we thank everyone for their support.

Amber Valley Classic Car Club are dropping into the Mill on Saturday 16th September – this will not be a big event and will be weather dependent.

Then on Sunday September 23rd at Heage Windmill there will be the 2nd visit from the vintage tractors – normally a big event.

Italian Cars – un bellissimo evento!

Our first ever rally of Italian Cars – courtesy of Abarth East Midlands & T.I.M UK Motors – proved a great success.

They also brought one the best days we have known at Heage.  It felt positively Mediterranean, just like being in Italy…

Graham Wickham’s Fiat 124 Spider, judged to be the best car on show

There was a wide assortment of cars on show including Fiat, Maserati , Ferrari and  Lamborghini.  The best car on show was  judged to be a Fiat 124 Spider, owned by Graham Wickham

The event was jointly organised by the mill and Attila Csorba, representing   the car owners – and all profits will go to the windmill maintenance fund.

In addition to the cars, the windmill itself received many visitors who also enjoyed a display of pyrography (burnt wood sketching) and helped swell the windmill’s funds even more at the bric a brac stall.

 

 

 

Over 300 Classic Bikes at the Windmill

At what is now a bi-annual event, well over 300 classic motor bikes made Heage Windmill their destination on Sunday 13th May.

The weather was very kind and a lot of bright sunshine shone down on the event, with just enough wind to gently turn the sails!

The Bike of the Day, a 1959 BSA A10

Over 600 visitors came specially to see and touch these gleaming machines and many also ended up touring the windmill or obtaining the flour, stone milled by the wind, at Heage.

The bikes were of all types, ranging from tourers to out and out racers, and included many well-known makes, such as BSA, Honda, Royal Enfield and, notably, some beautiful Vincents, Harley Davidsons, and an MV Augusta.

The best bike was judged by a mill ‘expert’ to be a BSA 1959 A10.

Colin Clemens presents Mike Sears, the owner of the wining bike, with the ‘Dave Cleaver ‘ trophy

The proud owner Mike Sears was presented with a certificate and the newly launched ‘Dave Cleaver’ trophy, commemorating a man who just loved bikes. This was presented by Colin Clemens, who organised the bikes on show.

There were a number of back up stalls, including a Tombola and a raffle, whilst refreshments were in high demand.

All in all the day was a great success, with great feedback from everyone involved.

All profits, of course, go into keeping the mill working and improving the available facilities.

Radio Derby’s Martyn Williams opens Windmill for 2018

After a night of heavy rain, the morning of March 31st dawned dull and damp but this was not enough to deter a decent sized group of volunteers, friends and visitors gathering to await the  arrival of Martyn Williams from Radio Derby, driving a vintage Fordson Tractor.

At precisely 11-00 am,  the gleaming old machine arrived , driven by Martyn, and parked outside the windmill.

Martyn was welcomed by the Chairman of Heage Windmill Society, Alan Eccleston and Angela Ward, Chair of Friends of the Mill.

Alan announced that Martyn would join a list of distinguished guests who had performed the opening ceremony over the past 16 years – this being the 17th season since the mill was restored to working order in 2002.

During that time, Alan mentioned that there had been some 50,000 visitors round the mill, that we were now into the 47th ton of wheat to be milled (over 30,000 bags of flour ) and that just over £250,000 had been raised, all of which had helped maintain and develop the mill.

This was all achieved by a dedicated team of volunteers who he thanked for their continued support.

Martyn said he was delighted to be at such an iconic location, although a bit of sun would have been welcome!

He praised the work of all the volunteers, all of whom contributed in some way to making the mill an undooubted huge success as a tourist attraction in Derbyshire.

To the sounds of a countdown from the assembled crowd, Martyn then cut the ribbon and pronounced the mill open for 2018, saying he was looking forward to touring the mill in due course but had to dash off to help volunteers plant trees in the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust wood at Alderwasley.

Before he left he was presented with a large Easter Egg by Wosemary Wabbitt, and said: ‘I will be back shortly’!

Mary & Jack Marry – and grab a photo op at the windmill

Shortly after getting married in the Heage area, Jack and Mary Evans – along with dog Geoff – visited Heage Windmill for an extra photo memory of their special day.

Jack originates from Brook Street, Heage and was an active volunteer at the mill before moving away.

Their special wedding spoon was decorated by Freda Stallerbrass of Nether Heage, a current volunteer, and presented by Lynn Allen on behalf of the windmill.

If you are getting married locally – or know of someone who is – the Friends of Heage Windmill offer the opportunity of using our Derbyshire attraction as a backdrop for wedding photos.

Furthermore, every bride photographed at the windmill will be presented with a hand pyrographed and decorated wedding spoon.

All we ask for is a minimum donation of £25 for weekend photos (£50 midweek) which covers the cost of the wedding spoon and helps towards the upkeep of the mill.

If you are interested in booking a photo session, please contact Lynn Allen  01773 715 177 (mob 07973 548 551) or email her at lynnallen13@hotmail.com

Alternatively, you can fill out a registration form which you can download by clicking here – Weddings bookings

 

Aimee has ‘amazing day’ as Miller

Aimee Bedward from Birmingham – a dedicated mill enthusiast – was given the ideal birthday gift by her friend Phil: a ‘Miller for the Day’ experience.

This enabled Aimee to enjoy a day’s  training and activity at Heage Windmill, including milling some grain.

Under the supervision and guidance of millers  Anthony Sharp and Tim Castledine, Aimee first started the sails turning, to the delight of watching  visitors.

The sails turned for about an hour requiring her to make frequent adjustments in a variable wind.  It was then decided to introduce Aimee to the process of milling.  She successfully milled 20 Kg of excellent quality Wholemeal Flour.

Later Aimee was in the cap (at the top) of the mill to close the Mill down or, as we say, ‘put the old lady to bed’.

Aimee said she had had ‘a simply amazing day’.

Fancy being a Miller for the Day or gifting someone that experience?  Click here to find out more…

Windmill hosts mill experts

Some 40 international experts on wind and water mills visited the windmill on Thursday, Sept 8th and were very impressed with Derbyshire’s unique, 220-year-old, six sail wind mill, mounted atop her squat stone tower.

All were members of TIMS (The International Molinological Society) with representatives present from 11 countries, some coming from as far away as Japan and the  USA. The visit was part of a week-long tour of some 30 mills, mostly in central England, displaying the wide variety to be found in the area.

The International Molinological Society (TIMS) is the only Society which fosters worldwide interest and understanding of wind, water and animal-driven mills.

The sails were turning when they arrived, to be welcomed by John Boucher (himself a member of TIMS) who was a leading light in the restoration of the mill in 2000. He gave a short talk on how the mill had been restored and then the delegates were free to roam the mill to examine the mechanisms for themselves, with a mill guide on each floor to answer any specific questions.

The society members were very impressed and one delegate commented that ours was a ‘most unusual’ windmill, situated in a ‘beautiful location.’

At the conclusion of the visit Lynn Allen, who had organised the arrangement for this visit, was presented with a ‘TIMS’ mug to add to the mill collection.  They also bought numerous books about the Mill plus various souvenirs of their visit – so the name ‘Heage’ will be spread around the world!