Back to the grind

Oldland Mill ground flour by night for the first time in 100 years and what is believed to be the first time in living memory for Sussex this week.

Millers Fred Maillardet, Mick Fitter and Stuart Meier got the historic machinery in action and grinding flour by windpower alone at the mill near Keymer, Hassocks, on Tuesday.

Organisers had to go through several precautions to make the remarkable event happen, including safety barriers, lights on the sweeps and limiting the numbers of people in attendance.

The lights on the sweeps were visible in Keymer and Hassocks and on the South Downs for many miles east and west.

The mill was built in 1703 and was in service for more than 200 years, grinding wheat and grain for local communities until it was abandoned in 1912.

Restoration work began in 1980, with the first 15 years spent stripping the mill to its bare bones.

Construction of the new sweeps began in 2005 and was completed two years later.

In what has been a successful month, the mill was awarded the English Heritage Angel Awards in association with the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation at the start of November.

Cats creator Andrew Lloyd Webber presented the Oldland volunteers with the angel award at a ceremony in London’s West End to mark the restoration of the windmill from a “near total wreck”.

Mr Meier said: “The angels were certainly on our side on Tuesday night. The wind was perfect, unlike during daylight hours recently.

“We know the millers of old didn’t stop just because the sun had gone down, so we seized their example.

“The tips of the sweeps were marked with lights to make them clearly visible to the millers.

“They were there for safety reasons but they were a dramatic sight, with the lights visible spinning across the sky.

“Perhaps we were inspired by the lights to celebrate Christmas. Indeed we will be giving away some of the wholemeal flour to our supporters on Friday evening.”

For more information, visit www.oldlandwindmill.co.uk.