Welcome to Great Chishill Windmill Trust CIO
A not-for-profit organisation and registered charity dedicated to saving our windmill
|
The windmill at Chishill is one of only seven open trestle postmills in the UK. In 2011 it was in urgent need of restoration to save it from collapse and preserve it for future generations.
Great Chishill Windmill Trust now has this in hand. |
Andrea Quigley Nov 2020
|
Windependence Day Sunday 15th August 2021
Chishill Windmill gains its 'Windependence'
A happy crowd of people gathered at Great Chishill windmill on Sunday afternoon to celebrate the completion of work that allows the windmill to turn automatically to wind. Bill Griffiths, a millwright from Ipswich, has been restoring the windmill over a period of four years and was present to see the culmination of his efforts as David McKeown, Chairman of Trustees, released the fantail which caught the wind and steered the mill gently to a new position.
The whole event, originally planned for July 4th and therefore dubbed 'Windependence', was organised by Trustees John Wahlich and Hazel Hayden with a willing group of volunteers. They supplied picnic boxes, games, a raffle, windmill memorabilia and a chance to see inside the windmill itself. Local pub, The Pheasant, ran a bar and music was provided by the Melodybeats.
Visitors arrived from near and far to spend time sitting in the sun, chatting and enjoying new-found freedom to dance and play with family and friends. The day was considered a huge success by all, as the many happy faces testified.
The windmill will remain free to turn and the Trustees have a plan to keep it maintained for the foreseeable future so, as David said when releasing the fantail “Chishill now has the biggest weathervane in the district!”
A happy crowd of people gathered at Great Chishill windmill on Sunday afternoon to celebrate the completion of work that allows the windmill to turn automatically to wind. Bill Griffiths, a millwright from Ipswich, has been restoring the windmill over a period of four years and was present to see the culmination of his efforts as David McKeown, Chairman of Trustees, released the fantail which caught the wind and steered the mill gently to a new position.
The whole event, originally planned for July 4th and therefore dubbed 'Windependence', was organised by Trustees John Wahlich and Hazel Hayden with a willing group of volunteers. They supplied picnic boxes, games, a raffle, windmill memorabilia and a chance to see inside the windmill itself. Local pub, The Pheasant, ran a bar and music was provided by the Melodybeats.
Visitors arrived from near and far to spend time sitting in the sun, chatting and enjoying new-found freedom to dance and play with family and friends. The day was considered a huge success by all, as the many happy faces testified.
The windmill will remain free to turn and the Trustees have a plan to keep it maintained for the foreseeable future so, as David said when releasing the fantail “Chishill now has the biggest weathervane in the district!”
You can see the moment the windmill was released on this video (courtesy of Phil Maynard)
https://1drv.ms/v/s!AqhbTv9IZHZvgoxVTNZRt0nD9E9qmg?e=jicRt0
https://1drv.ms/v/s!AqhbTv9IZHZvgoxVTNZRt0nD9E9qmg?e=jicRt0
We know the windmill is very photogenic and so do our supporters. If you have a photo please do send it to us. You can send them to:
David McKeown at dm@greatchishillwindmill.com
David McKeown at dm@greatchishillwindmill.com
