National Mills Weekend: Due to the coronavirus outbreak the event has been cancelled

Windmills and watermills are some of our landscape’s best-loved structures. These buildings are rooted in the nation’s agricultural life and are an integral part of the food supply chain. In 2020, National Mills Weekend (9-10 May), will look at milling’s past and present. This year National Mills Weekend, an annual celebration of our milling heritage organised by the Mills Section of SPAB (the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings), will focus on historic and contemporary millwrighting. During the weekend (9^th – 10^th May 2020) hundreds of mills across the country – including some not normally open to the public – will be throwing open their doors and taking part.

In 2020, SPAB’s Mills Section is encouraging everyone connected to a participating mill - whether as owner, volunteer, neighbour or visitor – to share and display images of building work by millwrights throughout the years. These can be photographs, artworks or other types of records.

Throughout the weekend, many windmills and watermills will be displaying photographs, have millwrights demonstrating their skills and offering themed activities for visitors of all ages.

The Mills Section will be sharing your stories on its social media channels, use #MillsPastandPresent to be featured on Facebook and Twitter.

Mildred Cookson, Chairman of the SPAB Mills Section, says: “Mills have always been a focal point for communities and, over the years, they have been recorded in many ways. This year we will be celebrating that visual legacy in all its forms. National Mills Weekend is always a wonderful family event - an opportunity for everyone to explore their local windmill or watermill, to learn about our rich milling heritage and its place in our landscape.”

Details of participating mills can be found at https://www.spab.org.uk/mills/national-mills-weekend

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Further information and images

Details of all mills open are available at https://www.spab.org.uk/mills/national-mills-weekend

Images available:

Brill Mill (Buckinghamshire), image credit Russell Jones

Contact for images, further details or interviews, including region-specific information:

Silvia McMenamin, SPAB Mills Section

020 7456 0909 (direct, Mondays to Wednesdays) or 020 7377 1644 / millsinfo@spab.org.uk 

Ali McClary, SPAB Communications Manager

020 7456 0908

Notes to editors

1. National Mills Weekend runs every year during the second weekend of May. It has been organised by the SPAB Mills Section since 1984 and is part of a Europe-wide festival of milling heritage during the month of May.

2. The SPAB Mills Section launched the event in 1984. The SPAB (the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings) is Britain’s oldest heritage charity.

3. The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) was founded by William Morris in 1877 to care for and preserve the UK’s architectural heritage. The Mills Section of the SPAB was founded in 1931 to protect and promote windmills and watermills.