In what has now become a tradition, Heage Windmill was once again put to rest for the winter by the spinning of a spider’s web.
Volunteers turned up to assist in the spinning of the web, working under the instructions of our ‘Queen Spider’ (Lynn Allen).
It’s always amazing to see the strands of 
knicker elastic grow rapidly and eventually emerge as a complex web, large enough to ensure the mill will be well protected through the cold winter months.
On a perfect, blue sky, breezy Sunday, Heage Windmill Society held a memorable event to celebrate the completion of mill repairs.
For the first time ever the mill was closed to the general public for just the afternoon in order that the Trustees could properly thank all those who had contributed to the repairs being accomplished after severe wet rot was discovered nine months ago.
Unfortunately, as many donors had not given contact details, the Trustees were not able to invite everyone but still wished to offer a huge thank you for their vital contributions.
Chairman of the Heage Windmill Society Piers Bostock welcomed the invited group of over 120 people attending the event.
They largely consisted of groups and individuals who had helped in any way – by donations, effort or time – in the concentrated fundraising period.
The donations came from all over the country – including a few fellow mills – along with some international help.
Piers especially thanked the local businesses who had contributed by either providing facilities or work space.
He thanked Neil Medcalf from Traditional Millwrights, who carried out the major repairs but he particularly full of the praise for the mill volunteers who put in hundreds of hours of work over the last eight months, fund raising or working on the repairs.
It was their efforts, he said, that meant the repair had been completed in less than nine months and for which the costs were largely covered.
Other Speakers included: Robert Kirkland, representing Bowmer and Kirkland; Cllr Steve Freeborn (Chair of Derbyshire County Council) as the mill owner; plus local MP Nigel Mills.
All of them praised the mill volunteers for their concerted efforts to bring this now famous Derbyshire landmark back to life again.
During Piers’ speech, Founder Trustee Alan Gifford ceremoniously cut the fund raising wristbands worn by both Piers and volunteer Lynn Allen to symbolise the end of the fundraising period.
The windmill was decorated with bunting, strung between the sails, which turned slowly in the gentle breeze.
A full hog roast, and other refreshments, including two huge iced fruit cakes – one of which was decorated with the image of the windmill – was then enjoyed by all.
The Derventio Choir sang their hearts out in the background, providing lovely entertainment, enjoyed by all.
A truly memorable day.
Once again, Heage windmill supported the local church, St. Luke’s, in their annual flower festival, to celebrate the onset (we hope!) of summer.
The display in St Luke’s on behalf of the Mill were all done by Celia Straw and Ruth Vickerstaff. Thanks to all who contributed – as these photos show, there were wonderful displays everywhere.
Heage Windmill celebrated National Mills Weekend, co-ordinated by SPAB (Society for Protection of Ancient buildings), by staging its always popular Tractor Day.
The sun shone all day so it was pleasantly warm for the big crowd of visitors who came to the mill.
On site was a very wide range of some 30 vintage tractors, most of which had been lovingly restored.
There was also a large gathering of stationary engines, some of which were working.
In a tent, the Nunsfield Radio club was hard at work, making contact with numerous other similar groups located at other mills also open over the weekend.
In addition the Friends of Heage Windmill ran a fund raising bric a brac stall which attracted a lot of interest and helped the restoration funds.
Also on display were the refurbished sails, waiting to be fitted, and some of the large rotten timbers which had caused the mill to stop working and producing flour.
Replacements have already been fitted and although some more work still is needed, it is getting closer to the date when the sails will turn again.
Many of the good folks of Crich look down onto the windmill at Heage and enjoy seeing her working- not standing like a pepper pot with no sails!
A group of the members of the Trefoil Guild and Muddlealong Groups therefore decided to do something to help restore her back to her former glory. They organised a cream tea and cakes event, with some side stalls , and between them raised the admirable sum of £300 pounds for the Trouble at Mill Appeal.
A cheque was duly presented at the mill to Lynn Allen (Friends of Windmill) by Hazel Pilgrim, with her colleagues Margaret Upton , Di Fretwell and Stella Gill in attendance with Meg Tarlton (Sec. Heage Windmill Trust) looking on.
Lynn said: ‘We are always so grateful for all contributions to the repair fund. Getting the windmill back to working order cannot come quickly enough for us.’
We were also presented with some excellent woodcuts and paintings of local windmills (including our own, of course) by a well known local artist, which will be framed and shortly offered for sale in the mill visitor centre. Another donation which will raise funds for the repairs!
More progress is being made on the repair and restoration of our sails.
The millwrights are working on the major repair while the mill volunteers are moving well with the refurbishing and painting of the sails and are approaching completing all of the planned work.
They have disassembled the shutters on the old sails, cut out the dead wood on the whips, and have nearly finished painting all of the sails and shutters.
18 coats of paint were needed for the six sails – 3 coats per sail.
They have also been re-assembling the shutters and as each of the shutters is sponsored – there is a number on each referring to a sponsor – those numbers need to be re-stencilled.
It’s hard work but the hope is that all will be ready for the 2016 opening on Saturday March 26th.
The final weekend in June once again saw magnificent flower displays inside the windmill to celebrate the Flower Festival in Heage. These displays were all made up by Friends of Heage Windmill volunteers.
Below is a gallery of photos.
Controlling and operating a 200 year old machine is not a task for the faint hearted. Apart from learning how to using the various controls for the sails and other machinery, they have to learn to observe the weather, especially the wind, as its direction and force are essential factors to the safe operations of the mill.
Everyone who ‘drives’ Heage Windmill undergoes a lengthy training period and then has to pass a practical ‘exam’ before he or she is permitted to be in sole control of the windmill. However those millers who seek to produce the renowned Heage flours, using the traditional mill stones, still has to continue to gain more experience. The miller is now producing a ‘foodstuff’ so, apart from learning how to operate the mill stones and the feed and processing gear, he/she now has to ensure compliance to numerous regulations, something which the old-time miller never even knew about.
Retired Rolls-Royce engineer Alan Eccleston, who lives in nearby Lower Hartshay, has just met all these exacting requirement and over the weekend was awarded his ‘Flour Miller Certificate’ by Piers Bostock, Chairman of Heage Windmill Society. In making the award Piers said ‘He was delighted to welcome Alan as a fully qualified person who could mill grain into flour –there are not many of them.’ Alan on his part said: ‘Ever since becoming a volunteer at the mill I have aspired to be able to mill and I am now delighted to join the elite group of qualified windmillers here at Heage’.
Don’t forget: Flour is normally on sale every weekend at the windmill, although sometimes lack of wind deems otherwise!
Major maintenance has now been completed at Heage Windmill. The mill was restored, with the aid of various grants, and much voluntary work, to enable it to open as a working windmill in 2002, producing stone ground flour in the traditional manner. For the first time since then, major work has been undertaken to ensure the secure operation of the mill in the future.
There are currently few millwrights in the UK able to undertaken the task of recovering the movable top of the mill (the cap) with heavy duty canvas and then repainting it to ensure a durable covering . We have been able to secure the services of Neil Medcalf, who is based in Farlesthorpe, in Lincolnshire and who, despite adverse weather conditions, has now completed the task. He has also modified the mechanism which opens and closes the shutters, enabling a tighter seal when closed and thus improving the available power we can obtain from the wind.
We hope that this work , which has been 100% funded from mill funds, will enable the mill to operate successfully for many years to come, maintaining its position as one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Amber Valley district.
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 |
 |
8°C broken clouds |
|
Wind
16 mph, WSW
Humidity
86%
Pressure
1.02 bar
|
||
| Day | Cond. | Temp. | Wind | Humidity | PressurePres. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mon dec 30 |  |
-/7°C | 0 mph | - | 0 bar |
| tue dec 31 |  |
10/8°C | 22 mph, SW | 68% | 1.02 bar |
| wed jan 1 |  |
7/1°C | 16 mph, W | 90% | 1 bar |
| thu jan 2 |  |
2/-0°C | 5 mph, NW | 78% | 1.02 bar |
| fri jan 3 |  |
3/-1°C | 15 mph, WNW | 79% | 1.03 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
