For the last 20 years the Mills Section of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings has organised National Mills Weekend (formerly "National Mills Day"), a celebration of Britain's milling heritage.

Wind and water are sustainable power sources, used for hundreds of years in Britain in the production of natural food.

There are currently more than 100 working mills capable of producing natural, stoneground flour and 100 of these will be open to the public during National Mills Weekend. In addition, over the weekend, a further 300 mills throughout the country will be welcoming visitors.

SPAB's Windmill Committee was formed in 1931 in response to an alarming decline in the numbers of the country's windmills. Later it included watermills within its interests, and it "encouraged the art of country milling". Still active today the SPAB is the only national amenity society dedicated to the protection of our milling heritage.

Some working mills are more than 300 years old yet still efficiently doing the job in the 21st century that they were built and designed for.

National Mills Weekend 2008 was held on
Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th May.

Some mills work as commercial businesses, while others are run by enthusiastic volunteers. Fifty years ago, the windmills and watermills of this country were thought to be in terminal decline, but now there has been a renaissance in these wonderful reminders of our past.

At 12 noon on Saturday 10th May (during National Mills Weekend) Jack and Jill Windmills Society was presented with a plaque by the Mills Section of SPAB (Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings) Photos: Philip Hicks and Paul Barber The award was presented by Jim Woodward-Nutt, chairman of SPAB Mills Section. These prestigious plaques are awarded to those mill conservation and restoration projects that closely follow the SPAB philosophy of repair and in recognition of the high quality of the restoration of mills back to working order. The vast majority of restoration and on-going maintenance of Jill Windmill has been carried out by society volunteers. Jill Windmill now grinds stoneground wholemeal flour and is open to visitors on Sundays in the summer. Jill Windmill was open between 11 am and 5 pm on both the Saturday and Sunday of National Mills Weekend Final preparations were being made for the re-opening of Ifield Watermill on National Mills Weekend 2008, when the mill was fully 'geared up' - not grinding but millstones operational. Janet Roskilly at Crawley Museum Society advised: Sunday 11th May 13:30-14:30 Watermill to be re-opened by the Mayor of Crawley, Councillor Sally Blake, and the Mayor's Consort Councillor Keith Blake, together with representatives from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Along with significant public voluntary contributions of finance, time, effort and expertise, this stage of the restoration has been financed by: Crawley Borough Council Gatwick Airport Community Trust The 'Your Heritage' fund of the Heritage Lottery Fund. Ifield Barn Theatre Outreach 3-way at the Weald And Downland Museum

In Sussex, windmills and watermills have not only produced meal flour, but have made gunpowder as those at Battle, or pumped water like the Coultershaw Beam Pump that once pumped water into Petworth. Many watermills in Sussex produced a variety of products such as linseed oil, cattle cake, oil dressed leather and drove fulling stocks for fulling wool. Today in Sussex, most of those that have survived are those that produced meal flour.

In 2005, Cobb's Mill at Hurstpierpoint was open for the first time since restoration work started. Over 700 visitors took the opportunity to see the mill, the big gas engine and also a display of static working engines.

Open Day at Cobb's Mill

Morris dancers at Windmill Hill Windmill

A number of amateur radio clubs are on the air on National Mills Weekend, broadcasting from mills across the country. Denby Dale Radio Club compile a list of participating radio clubs.

Details of Sussex Mills that were open to visitors on National Mills Weekend appear below. Mill owners are invited to contact us with details of their mill.
MILL	DAY	OPENING TIMES	SPECIAL EVENTS COMMENTS
Halnaker Windmill	SAT	All Day
Jill Windmill	SAT	11 am to 5 pm	Refreshments in Roundhouse Free entry and free parking
Michelham Priory Watermill	SAT	2 pm to 5 pm
Nutley Windmill	SAT	2.30 pm to 5.30 pm	Crowborough Amateur Radio Society will be transmitting from Nutley r.pike@btinternet.com 01435-873367
Park Mill, Batemans	SAT	11 am to 5 pm	Water permitting we will grind corn starting at 2 pm. There will also be mill tours throughout the day. Admission to the mill is included in admission to Batemans.
Stone Cross Windmill	SAT	10 am to 4 pm
Windmill Hill Windmill	SAT	2.30 pm to 5 pm	Mad Hatter's Tea Party with homemade cakes - bring a mad hat ! Amateur Radio Callsign GB0WMH
Halnaker Windmill	SUN	All Day
High Salvington	SUN	2.30 pm to 5 pm	Worthing Amateur Radio Club on site Call sign GB0 HSM
Ifield Watermill	SUN	1.30 pm to 5 pm	See press-release above
Jill Windmill	SUN	11 am to 5 pm	Refreshments in Roundhouse Free entry and free parking Jack Windmill will be open exclusively to Members of the Jack and Jill Windmills Society
Michelham Priory Watermill	SUN	2 pm to 5 pm
Nutley Windmill	SUN	2.30 pm to 5.30 pm	Crowborough Amateur Radio Society will be transmitting from Nutley r.pike@btinternet.com 01435-873367
Park Mill, Batemans	SUN	11 am to 5 pm	Water permitting we will grind corn starting at 2 pm. There will also be mill tours throughout the day. Admission to the mill is included in admission to Batemans.
Polegate Windmill	SUN	11 am to 5 pm	Amateur Radio Club 01323 - 734496
Shipley Windmill	SUN	2 pm to 5 pm
Stone Cross Windmill	SUN	10 am to 4 pm	Long Man Morris Dancers
West Blatchington Windmill	SUN	11 am to 5 pm	Stationary engines, model locos, cakes, teas etc.
Windmill Hill Windmill	SUN	2.30 pm to 5 pm	Mad Hatter's Tea Party with homemade cakes - bring a mad hat ! Amateur Radio Callsign GB0WMH

The website of G4CDD Denby Dale Radio Club has details of Amateur Radio Stations broadcasting from Mills on National Mills weekend.

Is your Sussex Mill listed here ?

If not . . . . please click here

For further information, please visit the SPAB Mills Section website.