Lacey Green Windmill

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Lacey Green windmill stands on the escarpment of the Chiltern Hills, near Princes Risborough and halfway between High Wycombe and Aylesbury. Since 1971 it has been restored back to working order by members of The Chiltern Society. The 1970 picture below shows the sad condition it had reached. It has been restored to preserve its unique wooden machinery, which probably dates from around 1650, making this the oldest smock windmill in the country.

All the restoration work has been done by volunteers, led by Christopher Wallis, who devised the methods by which the collapsing mill could be straightened, strengthened and made watertight to survive into the future.

2012 OPENING TIMES

In 2012, the windmill will be open to the public from 2 pm to 5 pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays from Sunday 6th May to Sunday 30th September.

Bank Holiday Open Days: Mon 7 May, Mon 4 & Tues 5 June, Mon 27 Aug (all 2-5).

For National Mills Weekend we will be open on Sun 13th May only (from 11-5).

For further details - see below.

Admission Charges for 2012: Adult £2.00, Child (5 to 15) £1.00.

For further details about visiting the mill, such as access, facilities, location, and travelling,

please look at the Information for Visitors page.

National Mills Weekend is on the 12th and 13th May in 2012. As usual, Lacey Green Windmill will only be open on the Sunday (13th May), but our opening hours will be extended from 11 am to 5 pm. Depending on the weather, we will hope to get the sails turning, but we do not operate the mill's wooden machinery as it is too fragile at 360 years old. Our village Horticultural Society will have a plant and produce stall close to the windmill, they will also be open from 11 am. This year we will have a local producer of organic apple juice joining us as well, they will be offering tasting of their different varieties and selling juice by the bottle. You can read more about their enterprise at www.drovershillfarm.co.uk

CURRENT SITUATION: The current weather forecast (at 18.00 on Saturday 12th May) is for a fine day on Sunday, good for getting the sails turning, although the SW wind of 8 mph might be a bit lighter than we would prefer. For news on Sunday itself, please feel free to call me (Michael Hardy) at the windmill on 07871 098336. NB: This number will only be available on Sunday 13th May from 9.00 till 17.00.

Great Haseley windmill stands near the A329 to the SW of Thame in Oxfordshire and just a mile to the SW of Junction 7 of the M40. We understand it will be open on Saturday 12th May from 13.00 to 17.00. The mill has a website but more information can actually be found on a blog written by one of the restoration team.

Chinnor windmill will be open on Sunday 13th May from 12.30 to 17.00. See their blog

We will be open from 2 -5 on Sunday 3rd June and also the two Bank Holidays on Monday 4th June, and Tuesday 5th June. We plan to get the windmills bunting on the sails, but we will not be able to park them in the traditional celebratory way that we did for the Royal Wedding last year (see below).

National Mills Weekend was on the 14th and 15th May in 2011. As always, Lacey Green Windmill was only open on the Sunday (15th May), but our opening hours were extended from 11 am to 5 pm. The wind on the day proved rather too variable, you can read a report on the day at NMW - 2011

Great Haseley windmill is a familiar site to people travelling on the A329 to the SW of Thame in Oxfordshire. The tower mill (which probably dates from the 18th century) stands in a field just a mile to the SW of Junction 7 of the M40. The Great Haseley Windmill Trust was formed in 2005, and work started on restoring the windmill in July 2009. The mill was open to the public on Sunday 15th May 2011.

The mill has a website but more information can actually be found on a blog written by one of the restoration team.

As prominent features in the landscape, windmills would often be used to recognise national events by being "dressed" in a similar way to a boat being "dressed" with flags and bunting. To mark the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton (who immediately became the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge), the sails of Lacey Green Windmill were dressed for the day, which was rather a grey one at Lacey Green.

The windmill's sails were parked in the position that traditionally notes a happy occasion, which is just before the ascending sail has reached the upright position. The top sail just starting to descend on the other side is a position to denote a sorrowful occasion. However, I rather suspect that such fine detail was not realised by many of the people who may have seen the bunting flapping in the strong breeze.

In June and July 2010 a new electricity supply was run to the windmill. The windmill has been completely rewired and new lighting has been installed. Enclosed bulkhead fittings have been used which are all fitted with energy saving light bulbs. Energy Saving Floodlights have also been installed to light the interior of the cap, which is now easier to see, particularly on dull days. Despite their now being 36 light fittings within the windmill, the total power consumption is less than 450 watts.

Christopher Wallis (born 1935, died 2006)

Christopher Wallis died on 10th May 2006 after a short illness. Lacey Green Windmill only stands today because of his passion for historic buildings, and mills in particular. Since 1971 he was the driving force behind the many volunteers that between them gave thousands of hours of their time to restore the windmill.

After starting the restoration at Lacey Green, Christopher left his work as a Civil Engineer. He then devoted his engineering and carpentry skills to restoring many other historic buildings across the country.

His everlasting enthusiasm has been instrumental in encouraging others to take up restoration work. The mere fact of hearing Christopher's strong opinions, or seeing the work that he has achieved, has led many more people to appreciate the vital importance of preserving historic buildings in our landscape.

This photograph shows Christopher Wallis at an event in October 2005 which marked the 40th Anniversary of the founding of The Chiltern Society at The Guildhall in High Wycombe. The area of the Chiltern Hills was always a special place to Christopher, where he and his wife Barbara chose to live and bring up their family.

Please click here to read an obituary to Christopher Wallis.

Christopher Wallis Memorial at the Chiltern Open Air Museum

The Christopher Wallis Collection of Timber Joints has been established in the Northolt Barn at the Chilten Open Air Museum. They have been made by Tim Hallewell, a carpenter and furniture maker. They have been designed to be demountable so they can be handled and assembled by visitors.

For more details of the Chiltern Open Air Museum, see their website:

www.coam.org.uk (set to open in new window or tab)


1910	1970	1986