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The Restoration After the mill closed in the early 1920's the mill fell into disrepair, and it wasn't until the 1960's that the mill was recognised as an important local building. This resulted in the mill being listed as a Grade II building of special architectural and historic interest. Wiltshire County Council Wiltshire County Council eventually purchased the mill in 1971, and leased the building to the Wiltshire Historic Buildings Trust to restore the mill to its former glory. The initial restoration started in early 1972, with the removal of the cap, fantail and related components.
A majority of the iron work was found to be in good condition, however almost all the wood had rotted beyond use. The team was able however to preserve the sack hoist and brake lever, both of which can be seen in the mill today. The timbers used included English oak for the beams and elm for the mill flooring. Structurally the mill was in fair shape, however the brick work required replacing at the top of the mill. Where new bricks where need, then these where sourced from similar style and aged bricks. Over the next few years the brick work was replaced and repaired and new wooden floors created, an early decision was to try and restore the mill close to original as possible. New sails were also replaced with a set of common and one set of patents sails as the originals had completely disintegrated. |
The removal of the Cap was a slow process, as it was important not to cause any further damage to any of the metalwork or brickwork. The Cog ring, which can be seen clearly here, was removed by crane. Each piece was labelled so that duplicates could be made. A few of the metal items such as the wheel bearings and worm gear were used to create patterns, so that we could create new ones in the future.
The Cap consists of a number of elements, here we see the Fan Tail assembly being constructed on the ground. The size of the timbers can clearly be seen here. You can also see the cap frame in the background of this picture. All of the Cap ribs were in perfect condition and required only a wire brushing and a fresh coat of paint. The original cap was covered with lead, which was later replaced with galvanized steel, however during the early restoration a decision was made to use aluminium to cover the cap.
The final part of the restoration was the purchase of a new set of stones, still in use today. The original stones, can be seen around the base of the mill. The old runner was used to create the door step for the main entrance. The mill was fully operational by 1976 by which time the restoration had cost the princely sum of £25,833. Following the completion of the restoration, the Wilton Windmill Society was formed. They are responsible for the running and management of the mill. A team of millers regularly mills wheat, producing flour for sale in the mill Caravan Shop. More importantly the once proud mill was returned to its former glory and fulfills its role as a fully operational windmill to be enjoyed for generations to come. |
