Saturday 2 March, 10am – 4.30pm

Join us for a day of online talks investigating common problems in windmills and watermills.

What happens when a repair project turns out to be much more complicated than it first seemed? What steps can you take to protect a watermill from flooding? And what can a millwright do to reduce the risks of catastrophic failure of large components like sails and fantails?

Join this online event to hear how our expert speakers overcame these challenges and more.

This is a unique opportunity to hear from a whole range of mill professionals – including volunteers, millwrights, and structural engineers. You’ll also have a chance to have your questions answered.

Booking closes Friday 1 March, 4pm. Anyone who has booked a place will also be sent a recording of the talks after the event.

Who is it for?

The event is aimed at mill enthusiasts, including heritage professionals, millwrights, mill owners and volunteers.

Programme

10 – 10.45am Luke Bonwick: Problems and Solutions for the Modern Millwright

10.50 – 11.30am Matthew Slocombe: Challenges Ahead for Fladbury Watermill, Worcestershire

11.45am – 12.30pm Dave Pearce: Millwrighting Problems and Solutions at Wicken Corn Windmill, 1987 to the Present

12.30 – 1.45pm Lunch break

1.45 – 2.30pm Naomi Hatton: Kibworth Harcourt Post Mill – decay to the trestle joints, alongside the surprise issue of the decay in the post and how we resolved them

2.35 – 3.20pm Geoff Wallis: Watermill Problems and Solutions

3.25 – 4.10pm Graham Watts: Kibworth Harcourt Post Mill – working with SPAB, a landowner and open days

4.10 – 4.30pm Q&A

IT requirements

You will need a computer, phone or other device connected to the Internet.

Speakers

Luke Bonwick, Conservation Officer and Millwright Consultant, is an expert in mills, millwrighting, dendrochronology and archaeology, having worked with mills across the country and abroad.

Matthew Slocombe is Director of the SPAB and Secretary of the Joint Committee of the National Amenity Societies. Published works include the Shire Library’s Traditional Building Materials.

Dave Pearce was a founder member of the Wicken Windmill Partnership in 1987 and has been one of the millers there since re-commissioning in 2001. Through Cambridgeshire Windmills Consultancy, he has been a guiding influence on the repair work at Gransden and Great Chishill post mills.

Naomi Hatton is a 2004 SPAB Scholar with 15 years’ experience as a structural engineer and was involved with the repair of Kibworth Harcourt Post Mill.

Geoff Wallis is the founder of Dorothea Restorations and has worked on many mills including the complete repair of the SPAB’s Kibworth Harcourt Post Mill.

Graham Watts is Head Volunteer at Kibworth Harcourt Post Mill.