Bircham Windmill Sails in Position
Photos by Elly Chalmers
Bircham Windmill’s sails have been renewed and are turning after lying dormant for three years. In that time, the replacement of a rotting weather beam had to be orchestrated. Recently an on-site crane lifted and supported the heavy wind shaft while the old weather beam was removed and the new one placed securely into position.
Owner, Elly Chalmers said that the last time the weather beam had been replaced was in 1979 by her parents, Roger and Gina Wagg, who restored the mill having bought in it 1975 when the building was derelict. Elly and her husband Steve now run this popular Norfolk tourist attraction which appeals to many young families who will be delighted to once again climb to the top of the windmill and see all the machinery working just as it has done for more than 160 years (although no wheat will be ground).
Bircham Windmill continues to bake fresh bread and cakes daily during the summer season which is now underway. Bircham Windmill now also produces and sells its own feta and Wensleydale type cheeses from the milk produced by their flock of sheep which can be seen being milked at 2pm every day. The work was carried out by Lincolnshire millwrights, R.Thompson and Son.
Bolting Windmill Sails in Place
This May Bank Holiday, Sunday 2nd and Monday 3rd of May, Bircham Windmill are holding their annual Craft Fair. The fair and the Windmill attraction will be open from 10 am to 5 pm each day and it is FREE ENTRY to all the ground floor areas of this lovely, unspoilt attraction and of course FREE ENTRY to the Craft Fair itself.
On Sunday there is the Castaways singing from 1pm and on Monday the annual, unusual Maypole dancing! Sally North and choreographer, Rose Lowe have developed some more complicated dances. The maypole will be whirling from about 1pm onwards and we are hoping for as many volunteers as possible for the dancing and the band.
The Windmill museum, tearoom, bakery, gift shop and cycle hire are all open as usual and well worth a visit. Local photographs and paintings by Roger Jennings will be on display, and outside, for the children are guinea pigs, rabbits, sheep and ponies. The bakery will be running flat out over the bank holiday weekend to provide bread, rolls, cakes and scones for visitors to buy, or sample in the tearooms.
For further details contact Elly Chalmers on 01485 578393 www.birchamwindmill.co.uk info@birchamwindmill.co.uk