Pitstone Windmill

One of Britain's oldest windmills featuring fascinating 17th century mechanics.

The parish of Pitstone sits quietly in a rural corner of Buckinghamshire. Pitstone Windmill has dominated this skyline since 1627 when it was constructed as part of the first wave of British post mills. The mill ground wheat and other cereals, and provided village employment for nearly 300 years.

Visitors today are awed by the early windmill mechanics, which still balance on the head of a massive wooden post. Millers of the past had the unenviable task of manhandling the majestic structure into the prevailing winds simply using a wheel-mounted pole. The skilful millers then had to assess the strength of the winds and unfurl the great sail cloths - by hand - appropriately.

In 1902 all work at the mill ceased when a freak storm caused massive structural damage before the windmill could be turned into the wind. Dedicated volunteers started work on the structure in 1963 and Pitstone Windmill is now fully restored.

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