The fire crew at Alfreton came to our mill for a training exercise, seeking to get a ‘casualty’ from the upper floor of the mill. The team of five, led by Incident Commander Andy Lee, arrived in a very shining Scandia fire engine and quickly sorted how they could best use the mill sack hoist shaft to get the casualty down to ground level.
It was an interesting visit for everyone involved and one we hope never has to be carried out for real!
Heage Windmill is ranked in the top 10 wind and water mills to visit in the UK. The list of mills is published in the May/June issue of the national women’s magazine YOURS. Significantly – we like to think – we have by far the largest photo!
This story was covered by the Derby Telegraph. To read the article, click here.
Two East Midlands Today reports have been found about Heage Windmill. View them here…
It is difficult to visualise Heage Windmill nowadays as the wreck it was before restoration, as so much work has been done to bring her back to working order.
Alan Gifford, one of the earliest volunteer workers, has recently found two video clips from BBC TV’s East Midlands Today which clearly show what was faced in bringing the windmill back to life in the mid 1990’s when it was in a seriously neglected condition.
The first news report, probably in 1994 or early 1995, shows the eroded condition of the soft ironstone from which she is built. Alan, with Margaret Kent , the then Chairman of Heage Windmill Society, and Dave Nicholls, another early worker, are seen examining rotten flooring, caused by water ingress. The condition of some pieces of machinery are also shown.
To see the video, click here
In the second news report – 22nd of January 1997 – the poor condition of the stone work is again displayed. Some shots of the internal machinery are also shown, with new paint which has been added by volunteer workers. The group is also seen examining the sail which was damaged by a lightning strike in 1995, whilst Alan unearths what might be a hidden stone path way and a fragment of kiln tile. Dave expresses hopes for the future whilst Margaret cannot wait for the sails to turn again as a result of an application for Heritage Lottery funding which, in due course, contributed to the full restoration, even to grinding corn again and making Heage flour.
To see the 1997 video, click here
Under the headline ‘How setting up a trust can help community restorations,’ Guardian journalist Jo Adentuji has written about the daunting task of restoring community buildings and uses Heage Windmill as a great example of how a combination of funding models, volunteers and expertise enabled the mill to be restored to working order.
In the Guardian article, published on May 25, Heage Windmill Secretary Alan Gifford points out how the local community was integral to the success of the project, and that a sense of community added to the mill volunteers’ grant propositions.
To read the article in full, click here
Heage Windmill is open every Saturday and Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday from April to the end of October, 11am to 4pm. For Admission Prices, Details of Group and School Visits and Where to Find us, click here >
In the early 19th century, Britain had 10,000 windmills. Heage Windmill experienced fluctuating fortunes until the Heage Windmill Society was formed in 1995. To discover Heage Windmill's history and how it was restored to working order, click here >
All our flour is stoneground at the windmill from wheat grown in this country and can normally be bought at the mill during visiting times, and at Bakewell Farmers' Markets every month. For more about our flour, click here >
Heage Windmill cannot operate without volunteers, so why not join us? To read more about the different ways you can help - as a miller, guide, working in the shop or helping out at the farmers' markets, click here >
| Belper, GB |
 |
11°C light rain |
|
Wind
13 mph, SSE
Humidity
73%
Pressure
1 bar
|
||
| Day | Cond. | Temp. | Wind | Humidity | PressurePres. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| thu oct 30 |  |
-/10°C | 0 mph | - | 0 bar |
| fri oct 31 |  |
14/10°C | 16 mph, S | 89% | 1 bar |
| sat nov 1 | |
12/8°C | 18 mph, SW | 83% | 1 bar |
| sun nov 2 | |
10/6°C | 8 mph, W | 87% | 1.01 bar |
| mon nov 3 | |
13/7°C | 25 mph, SW | 88% | 1.01 bar |
Please note the wind speed. If it is more than 5 or 6 mph, then normally the sails will be turning.
Heage Windmill is owned by Derbyshire CC but is controlled and operated by Heage Windmill Society, a charitable organisation (Reg Charity No 1065980), to whom all profits from running the windmill are donated by the Friends to help ensure its continued preservation
