Windmill open day

It was Sunday, time for a walk to town to see Stafford Windmill Open day, we had last gone in 1993!!
Stafford windmill had been derelict for 50 years, filled with fallen rubble and masonry. Then the friends of Broadeye windmill took it on and capped the top and gave it a roof and made it watertight.

The ground floor only is open to the public, a fair amount of money needs to be raised for further restoration.

The windmill was first erected over 200 years ago around 1799, there were only around 4000 inhabitants at Stafford then and this windmill was one of four, The Town mill, Eastgate Mill and St Thomas priory farm Mill. Only St Thomas priory farm remains to be seen and none of the other mills except Broadeye mill, which once had sails attached to drive round the grinding stones.

A lot of the mill was erected with timber from the former Elizebethan Shire Hall which was demolished to make way for the stone built one we have now.

As the towns population grew the mill could no longer keep pace with the much needed production of flour, which was then transported into Stafford with the new links of rail and canal. So in 1897 the sails and winding movement was removed.

It has been house to a few shops and is now the home of radio stafford an internet based radio station. It really does need to be used and bought back to life before yet  another one of Staffords landmarks disappears. Ive not forgiven the council for the demolition of the Brine Baths yet!! The disappearance of the old market almost, what a buzz of activity that used to be. The old library stands waiting for development.
To finish this next photo is one story up from the open part and as you can see needs so much to be done to it.

Whilst on the lower floor of the cellar are shoe lasts and bottles and all sorts of interesting bits of local history.

The next photo is a mock up of what the original mill would have looked like complete with sails.