MILL IN DANGER!!!

[Nemesis]

http://www.sussexmillsgroup.org.uk/news.htm

 

[Penners]

Presumably there's one of our esteemed forum members who will be on this case already?

 

[Nemesis]

Well - it's hard to know what to do.

Does anyone wish to make an offer????

 

[Penners]

Nothing that SPAB Mills Section can do to fight the demolition?

 

[Nemesis]

Penners - it is so few against so many.


Throughout the land.

 

[Moo]

It would seem that the current state of the mill is a direct result of neglect + inappropriate bodging by the council :


"Built between 1831 and 1834 this post mill worked commercially until 1923.

This Grade II listed building, owned by Wealden District Council, has fallen into a serious state of decay.

A recent survey of the mill revealed problems with the roundhouse footings, the roundhouse roof, the roundhouse walls, the cladding on the buck, the cross trees, the crown tree, the sweeps, the tailpole and the fantackle.

The oak roof timbers of the roundhouse warping, bowing and splitting, the ring beam is becoming insecure, the lime mortar is crumbling and the tar is bubbling.

At some stage repair work was carried out using cement mortar rather than lime mortar. The load bearing quarter-bars are rotting and floorboarding is missing in places. The cross trees are rotten and need to be replaced.

The crown tree that supports the buck has been braced and adjacent cladding has been secured with a steel plate.

The fittings of the replacement aluminium roof have pierced the carcase of the buck.

The tailpole is severely rotten and in places is beyond repair, whilst the fantackle is purely cosmetic.

A strategy of renovation work has been drawn up prioritising weatherproofing along with the crown tree and the cross trees.

The Friends Of Argos Hill Windmill was formed in 1999 with the aims of supporting the restoration and preservation of the mill as well as promoting knowledge of the mill in schools and the wider community.


The future of this mill is uncertain.

[Text : Morgan Bleek]

Windmillworld.com news item posted on 25-Oct-03"

 

[Nemesis]

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/40911

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/48312



http://www.sussexmillsgroup.org.uk/argos2.htm

 

[Penners]

I've got photos of a lovely old windmill that stood just across the road from our house (which was the miller's house - visible in the background). Apparently it was pulled down in the 1950's. Such a shame, but I suppose if old mills have no way of raising money for conservation, it's going to happen sooner or later.

The irony is that in about 50 years' time they may become commercially viable again.

Can anyone tell me - is this a "smock" mill?

 

[Nemesis]

http://www.citiesofscience.co.uk/go/London/ContentPlace_2663.html

http://www.millsarchive.com/

http://www.suffolkmills.org.uk/

http://www.suffolkmills.org.uk/windmill.htm

http://www.amanita-photolibrary.co.uk/photo_library/windmills/index.htm

http://thesaurus.english-heritage.org.uk/thesaurus_term.asp?thes_no=1&term_no=69335





The problem is that local authorities are supposed to set an example and keep historic buildings (listed buildings and buildings which make a positive contribution to a conservation area) in their care in good repair. (Yes of course that means spending council taxpayer's cash and yes they always have other priorities.)

Therefore the economics of repair (it's complex stuff, is planning law and policy) versus demolition really should not be taken too much into account, if neglect has caused the decline.

Before demolition should be considered, there should be real attempts to find a viable future - including sale on the open market or the offer to any charitable group willing to take it on. PPG15

There are new mills being built - wind driven, but by turbine. A number of mills still operate.

http://www.northumbria-larder.co.uk/news_july07_gilchester.html

http://www.maudfoster.co.uk/

 

[stuart]

thanks for pointing that out. it is in the village next to us so i'll try to go along tonight.
Wealden District Council are not so conservation minded as they should be. I have contacted them many times re derelict buildings and buildings at risk but they are not interested. At one point they denied there being any buildings at risk in the area until I pointed out Argos Windmill, about which they said,

"Yes, Argos Hill Windmill is at risk, but this is currently in our ownership. We are currently trying to implement repairs on this, and if you wish further information on this I would suggest that you contact Ian Simmonds (ian.simmonds@wealden.gov.uk)."

and that was only last October, so they obviously havent persued many repairs in the meantime.
Shame as it's a nice mill, but not visible from the road, so out of sight out of mind I guess.

 

[Nemesis]

If there are buildings at risk which you want to be put on the SAVE register, do contact Catherine at the SAVE office.

It's pretty dreadful that this has deteriorated to this extent, and before they give them selves permission to dismantle you might like to remind them of PPG 15.

The SAVE office has been notified of this.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

This isn't actually an application yet, but yes, we at SPAB are very concerned and will be sending people to tonight's meeting to find out what's actually going on.

Worth noting that Wealden have been trying to offload the mill to a trust for a few years but the mill's "Friends" group have been dead against it for some reason.

The council's budget for the next three years shows only £7000 per annum to be spent on the mill, which will just about pay for the grass cutting, despite the fact that they have known for more than a decade that major works were due, and have been making noises about actually doing the work. Not on that budget they won't.

All very political and I'm glad I'm not too closely involved (yet).

 

[Nemesis]

Well, if they do decide to demolish it will have to be referred to the Gov Office. Who may say no... if they are lobbied...

The Friends group - well, a Trust could have applied for grants, but they are getting harder to get (now we are spending all that cash on the Olympics). Or are they concerned that no grants will be forthcoming, and that the council is simply offloading a problem?

 

[Gareth Hughes]

I've got photos of a lovely old windmill that stood just across the road from our house (which was the miller's house - visible in the background). Apparently it was pulled down in the 1950's. Such a shame, but I suppose if old mills have no way of raising money for conservation, it's going to happen sooner or later.

The irony is that in about 50 years' time they may become commercially viable again.

Can anyone tell me - is this a "smock" mill?

Certainly is - ie a timber-framed, rather than masonry, tower mill, a type with hideous weathering problems at the corners which is why there are only about 45 structurally complete ones left in the UK. They are the standard Dutch type too but in Holland they built them to last for ever, while we generally saw them as a cheap short-term alternative to building a brick tower mill

from Peter Dolman's research notes on your example, in the Mills Archive:

Dem 1918 said to be 300 yrs old (!) (unlikely, looks c.1800)
Base stood till mid 60’s, Bungalow now on site

Millers
Henry Baker 1802, 96 wind
Edward James Richardson 1925 w&s (wind and steam)
Benjamin Sowman 1885
D Alderton 1858
Amos Tiffen 1858
Mrs Susannah Jane Richardson 1908 w&s
John Crooking ? 1836

 

[Penners]

Thanks, Gareth, that's very interesting.

Here's Edward James Richardson - I believe he was normally known as James: