After a very dismal day the sun came out and it was a lovely evening when we went on our trip to Bursledon Mill. Although there are still a number of windmills in the area this is the only working one. The mill was built in 1813 and continued working until the 1880's when changes in technology came in and it was restored by the Hampshire Buildings Preservation Trust between 1976 and 1991. The parts are all new and the wood used was taken from trees that had fallen in the hurricane in 1987.
We watched a video showing the mill working and we saw the canvas being pulled across the sails like a curtain to catch as much wind as possible. If there is sufficient wind the mill will be working and anyone can call and buy the stoneground flour produced.
It was well worth negotiating the narrow sets of stairs, ladders would have been used in the old days, to see all the working parts of the mill and once at the top you could see for miles around.
A traditional timber framed barn and granary have been reconstructed on the site and there is a small pond with waterlilies and wildlife. The pond was dug out by the the first miller who worked there so there was a water supply in case any parts of the timber in the mill caught fire. The barn had a winnowing machine and many other interesting devices, you could even try your hand at grinding some grain between two stones.
After a most enjoyable and interesting evening we all retired to a nearby hostelry for some refreshment.
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page last updated 20 JULY 1997