Author: Sussex Miller
Sussex Mills Group’s 2010 out-of county tour was to Hampshire. The vast majority of participants have been actively involved with mills for many years. Upon arrival at Bursledon Windmill we were informed that due to fire precautions only five persons were allowed into the mill above ground floor, and that access above was restricted to the Stone Floor and the Reefing Stage. We were advised that the windmill was considered to be a brick chimney!
A number of us were clearly horrified by these draconian measures and were most concerned at the implications these may have on access to windmills and watermills across the country.
To make it worse, the opening sentence of the mill’s explanatory leaflet for visitors began ‘GO TO THE DUST FLOOR AT THE TOP OF THE MILL’.
We cited the sterling efforts of Peter Hill in opposing similar measures proposed at West Blatchington Windmill.
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