Great Hasely windmill

I visited this lovely building today as I was in that part of Oxfordshire. It was early in the morning (and what a glorious morning it was!) so, sadly, there was no opportunity to per inside. However, just the exterior is a treat for the eyes.

Great Hasely windmill, near the pretty village of Stadhampton, has dominated the countryside since the middle of the 18th century. It fell into disuse during the 19th and 20th centuries and was little more than a ruin for many years. 

But the mill had always been a source of fascination for Sir Martin Wood, who grew up in the area. So when the chance arose to buy it in the 1950s he did so, carrying out extensive repair work. More recently, he became a pivotal figure in the Great Haseley Windmill Trust, which has now fully restored the mill. The project was co-ordinated by John Alexander, a 71-year-old retired investment banker who lives in the village. He has attempted to restore the mill to exactly how it would have been towards the end of its working life, preserving as much as possible of the original structure and replacing only parts either lost or too decayed to be reused. 

A date stone exists, marked 1806, but it is thought that the mill was constructed in 1760. It was a tower mill, with common sails, meaning an open wooden frame bearing the sail cloth. Ironwork dated 1889 suggests repairs at that time, involving winding gear and curb cogs but it is thought the mill came to the end of its working life sometime before the First World War. 

Thank goodness there are people with passion out there who preserve these things for posterity.