Holgate Windmill, a tower mill with five sails, dates from the 1770s and was in operation until 1933. It gradually became derelict, and in 2001 the Holgate Windmill Preservation Society (HWPS) was formed with the aim of restoring it.

Restoration began in 2005 and is now nearing completion, with most of the internal machinery and equipment already installed. The cap and fantail have been rebuilt on the Network Rail site (the former carriageworks) by a traditional millwright over the past 18 months, and will be refitted on top of the mill tower very soon. The sails are being reconstructed and it is hoped to install them in 2010-11. The aim then is to start grinding corn and producing flour for the first time for nearly 80 years.

***
The plan was to lift the restored cap on to the mill today (25 November), but the operation had to be postponed because of the strong wind. The forecast for tomorrow is similar, so it has now been decided to defer it again. We hope the weather will be calmer on Friday (27 November) so that the cap can be installed then.

If the cap is in place on Friday, the mill will be open to visitors this weekend, Sat-Sun 28-29 November - 11am to 4pm on each day.

Information will be posted on the HWPS website at http://www.holgatewindmill.org
***

You can read all about the history of the mill and the restoration project on the website. Also, there's a collection of photos by me and other HWPS members, including some taken in the last few days and weeks, in my Flickr set http://www.flickr.com/photos/nican45/se ... 251324867/. This can be accessed by anyone via this link - you don't have to have a Flickr account of your own.

The HWPS already has over 500 members, mostly in the York area, but we always welcome newcomers. Annual subscriptions are £5 individual or £8 per household, which covers free access to the mill whenever it’s open (£3 per person per visit for non-members) and regular newsletters.

I'll use this forum to post updates about the mill, which we hope will be of interest to everyone and especially those who haven’t yet visited the mill to see the extensive internal restoration carried out over the past few years.

Nick

The operation to transport the cap to the mill and lift it on to the tower has again been postponed because of strong winds. We now hope it can go ahead on *Saturday 28 November*. See the website for the latest information on this, and about when the mill will next be open to visitors.
http://www.holgatewindmill.org

Nick

Thanks for the info nican4. We always drive up Acomb rd and see the windmill poking out over the new very modern house built in front of it. It will be good to hear how the project develops.

The cap was successfully installed in a 4-hour operation on Saturday 28 November. It's made the mill a much more visible landmark than it's been for the last few years. I’ve posted photos of the final stages of the restoration of the cap. and the operation to lift it on to the tower, in a Flickr album:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nican45/se ... 769984327/. Anyone can view them using this link – you don’t need your own Flickr account.

The mill is open for a second Santa weekend next Saturday-Sunday 12-13 December (2-4pm each day). Unaccompanied adults are welcome to come and have a look round, without having to visit Santa!
http://www.holgatewindmill.org

Nick