STONE CROSS WINDMILL

The Windmill will be closed until April next year, but private groups are more than welcome to visit the Windmill at other agreed dates where cream teas and tours can be provided with homemade scones and cakes.

The Trust can also provide talks about the history of the windmill from its commissioning in 1875/6, through to World War 11 and its use as a gunnery position to present day renovations and once again milling wholemeal flour.

The Trust welcomed a number of local groups to visit and explore the Windmill. This included 60 Class 2 Stone Cross Primary School pupils, West Rise Pre-school, and the local Beaver Scouts (6 to 8-year-olds) and every young visitor went to the top of the Windmill.  If you have a local group, visits and tours can be pre-arranged including any pre-risk assessment.

The volunteer maintenance team and the Mill Wright have now repaired the cap and the tower has been painted.  The Trust are grateful to Shepham Community Benefit Fund and Westham Parish Council for the grants received to date.  However there is still more work to be undertaken before the Windmill opens next year.

The entry gates to the Windmill have suffered severe damage over many years and have now been dismantled.  The volunteer maintenance team will replace the gates once the Trust has received some extra funds to complete this essential work.

Over the last year we have lost a number of our long-standing members so that the amount of monies the Trust has accumulated has reduced.  However the sales of flour and refreshments (supplied by our volunteers) have helped to supplement the Trust's income.

Visitors and members have also provided generous donations.  However the renovations to the Cap and Tower exceeded the grants received due to the increased cost of specialist materials and there is always a fear that without sufficient funds the continuous maintenance and ever-increasing costs the Windmill could no longer be retained as a safe visitor attraction.

If you would like to become a member of Stone Cross Windmill or donate to help to boost the funds, please contact the Chair.

Further information and dates will be here on the website.

HELP WANTED
 

Do you fancy helping as a volunteer guide one Sunday per month to take visitors to the top of the Windmill Tower?  Or do you have specialist skills that can contribute to the maintenance and longevity of the Windmill?

Please contact the Chair, Barbara Molog,

scmt2012@yahoo.co.uk

07909 987 843 for further information.