Lacey Green Windmill, Buckinghamshire
NEWS ARCHIVE
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FURTHER INFORMATION WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE HERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
2001
Foot and Mouth Disease closes windmill
During 2001 the windmill did not open to the public at all, due to the restrictions placed on people visiting farms with livestock.
2006
Windmill on BBC's Country File - March 2006
On 12th March 2006, the BBC's Country File programme included a look at the Chilterns by John Craven, as part of a series on different ranges of hills around the country. Lacey Green windmill was included in the programme, as well as some other local places of interest.
This photograph shows John Craven with the late Christopher Wallis, the man who has led the restoration of the windmill since it was started in 1971.
Windmill in Daily Mail (Weekend Magazine) - May 2006
On Saturday 6th May 2006, the windmill had a short mention in an article about windmills and National Mills Weekend. However, please do not believe that I (Michael Hardy) am the miller (as stated in the article). I am just the Honorary Secretary of our committee. We do not have a miller as the mill is not working, but restored to working order. Also, Christopher Wallis (not Wallace) was not a SPAB expert (as stated in the article). He was a civil engineer who devised the methods of restoration, and then organised the restoration of Lacey Green windmill, teaching many volunteers along the way.
National Mills Weekend - May 2006
Lacey Green Windmill was open on Sunday 14th May. We were able to have the sails turning all afternoon, which we did as our small tribute to Christopher Wallis, who had died just 4 days earlier.
For some more details and pictures of Sunday 14th May 2006, please click here.
2007
Buckinghamshire Windmills Open to the Public in 2007
For many years, 5 windmills have been open to the public in Buckinghamshire. These are the tower mills at Quainton and Old Bradwell (Milton Keynes), the smock mill at Lacey Green, and the post mills at Pitstone and Brill. Sadly, for 2007 the total was down to just 4, as Brill was not able to open at all. It is in need of some repair, but appears to have been closed on Health and Safety grounds (by its owners Buckinghamshire County Council) because of "tripping hazards and low ceilings". We have low ceilings at Lacey Green, as do many mills, and all our visitors are warned that they have to take great care in such historic buildings, which is something that they seem to quite accept.
National Mills Weekend - May 2007
In 2007 the weekend had the worst possible weather for windmills which use canvas sailcloths. Because of the amount of rain during the day, we were not able to fit the sailcloths as once they get wet, it is very difficult to get them dry for storage. It would also be hazardous to climb wet and slippery sails. However, soon after 2 pm the rain virtually stopped until about 5 pm, and a good breeze from the east was enough to keep the sails (without cloths) turning for most of the afternoon. Due to the age of the wooden machinery, the brake wheel is disconnected from the wallower, so there is no load of machinery operating in the mill. However the wind still has to turn about five and a half tons of timber in the sails, windshaft and brake wheel. The advantage of being 750 feet above sea level is that if there is any wind at all, then we will benefit from it at Lacey Green.
SPAB Mills Section Visit - May 2007
On 19th May 2007, the SPAB Mills Section visited some windmills in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Their first windmill of the day was Lacey Green which was bathed in sunshine following a couple of very wet weeks. There was even enough breeze to turn the sails, without their canvas sailcloths. At one time virtually all the 62 visitors had scattered themselves across the four floors of the windmill, proving how many people you can actually get into a smock mill. As usual, with this type of visit, the members varied from those who had been to the windmill many times before, through to those who were visiting for the first time.
To see the web site of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings Mills Section, click here: Mills Section of SPAB (This link is set to open in a new window)
This photograph shows the group receiving an introduction on their arrival at Lacey Green.
Lacey Green School Visit - June 2007
During the morning of Monday 11th June 2007, 96 children (aged 8 and 9) visited the windmill. They had previously been studying some of the history of the village. They were told how the windmill would have related to village life, and how it would have played a vital role in helping to provide food for the local people. They were then given a tour of the upper three floors of the windmill, seeing some of the mill's machinery. All the children also drew the outside of the windmill, and it is hoped that some of their work will soon be made available on this web site.
Christopher Wallis - Inspiration, Conservation, Celebration - An Exhibition - July to Sept 2007
This exhibition was held at the The Environment Centre on Holywell Mead in High Wycombe between 14th July and 8th September 2007. It looked at many aspects of the life and work of this local engineer, who was promoting sustainability long before it became fashionable. For some pictures from the opening ceremony, and a list of some of the topics included in the exhibition, please click here: CW Exhibition
Thank you for looking at www.laceygreenwindmill.org.uk
This page was last updated on 16th June 2008.
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