Windmills and Watermills of Lincolnshire

Hello, I am David "Gus" Goodwin, a nephew of the Tappin siblings. Living quite close to the last remaining 8 sailed windmill and a fully working watermill has inspired me to take a look at the locations and opportunities for family members to visit these fascinating historical old buildings. They can often be used as waypoints on walks around the county and many have cafes or refreshments and provide excellent watering holes.

Windmills have been a feature of the Lincolnshire landscape for over 500 years. Early mills were simple wooden structures called postmills and the only remaining postmill in the region can be found at Wrawby near Brigg. Lincolnshire saw the windmill reach the height of its technology with the tall elegant brick tower topped by a distinctive onion shaped or ‘ogee’ cap. A feature peculiar to his region is a cast-iron device called the Lincolnshire Cross which allows mills to be built with any number of sails. The area boasts 4, 5 & 6 sailers and as mentioned the last remaining 8-sailed windmill situated at Heckington near Sleaford.

Here is a guide to some of the 19 mills open to visitors within our borders.

Located off the A52 near to Mablethorpe, Alford Windmill, built in 1837, is one of England’s finest working mills. It also boasts a stylish new tea room and an Edwardian and Victorian antiques shop. The mill is usually open between 10am and 5pm and there is a modest entry fee.

Just off the A16 near to Grimsby, Waltham Windmill was built in 1879 by Saundersons of Waltham. There is plenty of free parking and free entry to the Museum of Rural Life, plus the usual café etc. Also of interest is the miniature railway and a picnic and play area for the kids. It is open 10am to 4pm during the summer months with a token admission charge for entry to the mill. It's almost identical twin is the Sibsey Trader Windmill near Boston, which was also built by Saundersons two years earlier in 1877. The Sibsey is a working flour mill and reputed to be the finest of its type in England.

This magnificent 8-sailed windmill at Heckington was built in the 1830s and had the distinctive sails added in 1892 after losing the previous set in a storm. The mill produced flour until its closure in 1946, however, local enthusiasts restored the mill in 1986 and are back again producing wholemeal and white flour. There is free entry to the ground floor but there is a small charge to visit to the rest of the mill. Heckington also used to be known for the tea and coffee at the Pea Room, but this has now closed and moved into the modern Hub site in Sleaford.

Some of the other windmills within Lincolnshire and their locations are:

Burgh Le Marsh – 5 miles west of Skegness on the A158, built in 1813, a working tower mill with left handed sails!

Ellis’ Mill – near Lincoln Castle and the Museum of Lincolnshire, Lincoln.

Maud Foster Mill, Boston – close to Boston town centre, just of A52 to Skegness. Built in 1819 and still earning its keep grinding local organic stone-ground flour.

Moulton Mill – 4 miles east of Spalding. The tallest windmill in Britain (over 99ft), built in 1822 this is a 9-storey windmill.

Mount Pleasant – near Kirton in Lindsey – 4 sailed brick tower mill built in 1875 and restored in 1991.

Wrawby Windmill – 1 mile off the A18 North East of Brigg. The last remaining postmill in the north of England.

Cogglesford near Sleaford is a fully restored and working watermill producing organic stone-ground flour sold in the mill shop, the mill has probable Anglo-Saxon origins with parts dating back to the 17^th century. There is free admission and there are idyllic walks along the canal, which should be navigable into Sleaford by 2007!

Alvingham Mill is just 3 miles north of Louth, the village of Alvingham is famed for its two churches situated next to each other sharing the one churchyard. The watermill has been in existance for nearly 900 years and is open to the public.