New sweeps installed for the 200 year-old windmill at Herstmonceux

The windmill at Windmill Hill is the tallest post mill in Sussex and is a Grade II* listed building. It was built in the 1800s and restored 200 years later with the new sweeps continuing the maintenance of the windmill.

Following the demolition of a windmill on this site, what is known today as Windmill Hill Windmill was erected circa 1814.

By the start of World War One the mill had ceased working and, although in future years it changed hands a number of times, little work was done on the maintenance of the mill and it gradually slipped into a state of severe disrepair so much so that by 1993 it was considered necessary to install steel supports to prevent the entire buck falling over.

At about this time the windmill and surrounding property changed hands and by 1996 ,the Charitable Trust took over ownership of the windmill.

This arrangement made it possible to attract suitable funding to initiate the work required to restore this Grade II* listed building and 2003 saw the start of the restoration of the structure of the windmill. This work was completed within three years.

The windmill opened for visitors on Sunday May 14 – as part of National Mills Weekend. It is now open every Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday from the end of May until the end of September.

More information about the windmill and the trust can be found at https://windmillhillwindmill.org/