Bright future following grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Our much-loved Bursledon Windmill is set for an exciting new chapter in its 200-year history after Hampshire Buildings Preservation Trust (HBPT) secured a £247,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, paving the way for the windmill to reopen to the public.
The funding supports a programme of repairs and improvements to the site including, most importantly, the reinstatement of its iconic sails. It creates a sustainable future for one of Hampshire's most important industrial and social heritage attractions and prepares the windmill for a planned public reopening in 2027.
Without this funding the windmill would have been at risk of being lost forever following the decision of the Hampshire Cultural Trust to close the attraction to the public in 2024 through lack of funding.
The Bursledon, Hamble and Hound Local Area Committee also supported the bid to The National Lottery Heritage Fund by allocating £25,000 in match funding.
As part of the project, HBPT will recruit key staff to help manage and promote the attraction, working closely with nearby Bursledon Brickworks Museum and a dedicated team of local volunteers to create a richer and more rewarding experience for local residents and visitors to the area.
The investment will also revitalise the mill so that its unique all-wooden machinery can once again produce flour from wind power, something which has not been possible for over a decade.
One of the county's most distinctive landmarks, Bursledon Windmill was built in 1814 and is among a very small number of windmills in the UK that retain heavy timber machinery and is unique in Hampshire.
Looking beyond its reopening, the Trust also plans to develop the site as a welcoming venue for community activities and special occasions. The restored windmill will be available for small events, educational visits and intimate weddings, helping to ensure it remains at the heart of community life.
Throughout the restoration project, HBPT will host a programme of events and activities to keep the community involved and informed about progress.
Peter Goodship, Chairman of Hampshire Buildings Preservation Trust, said:
"We are absolutely delighted to receive this support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, this unique piece of Hampshire's industrial heritage can be safeguarded for future generations. We can now look forward to welcoming visitors back, seeing the sails turning once again and restoring the windmill's ability to produce flour using wind power alone.
"This funding gives us the opportunity not only to preserve an important historic landmark, but also to create a thriving community asset that can host events, celebrate local heritage and contribute to the area's visitor economy."
Stuart McLeod, Director of England - London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said:
"Bursledon Windmill has been a treasured part of Hampshire's heritage for more than 200 years and we're delighted to support its next chapter. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, this project will help safeguard an important piece of the county's heritage, bring visitors back through its doors and enable local communities to enjoy and engage with the windmill for years to come. We look forward to seeing the sails turning once again and this much-loved landmark thrive at the heart of the community."
The windmill will be open from 1200hrs – 1600hrs on Wednesday 16th September as part of the national Heritage Open Days scheme.
Comments