Windmills of Suffolk: Bardwell Windmill
Bardwell Mill was built in 1823. It worked by wind until 1925 and then by a Blackstone oil engine until 1941. The mill was derelict in 1978 but was later purchased by James Waterfield, who completed the restoration of the mill in 1985. The mill was sold to Geoffrey and Enid Wheeler in July 1987. On 16th October 1987, the mill was tailwinded when one of the gears in the fantail drive system became disengaged. The result was that the windshaft sheared at the rear of the canister, bringing the sails crashing to the ground. Restoration work began again in 1989 but was hampered by limited funds. Geoffrey Wheeler died in 1995 and in 1997 The Friends of Bardwell Windmill was set up. English Heritage and St Edmundsbury Borough Council gave over £73,000 towards the estimated cost of £92,000 to restore the mill. The balance was to be raised by the Friends. A replacement cap, cast iron windshaft and fantail were fitted to the mill in 2004. Owing to rising costs, it was decided that the new sails would be constructed by volunteer labour. The first pair of sails were completed by late summer 2008 and fitted in late 2010. The second pair of sails were fitted in April 2012.
Bardwell Windmill is open to the public at various intervals throughout the year and remains under the ownership of the Wheeler family. I myself was at the centre of controversy around this windmill around a year after visiting in 2017 after I had made the mistake of writing my name on one of the walls of the windmill near the window with a Sharpie pen. This was something I had done a couple of times to ‘leave my mark’ where I had seen others had done the same. I do not know why I did inside this mill when it became apparent no-one else had. I stupidly wrote my name, town and put my Social Media username 'sniff001'. I sincerely apologised to the Wheeler family over the internet and admitted fault; it was not something I could even explain as to why I did it to this day, and I admit was very silly and unnecessary. However the posted photo of my small “graffiti” resulted in a social media witch hunt across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and I received insults of every swear word under the sun and even death threats. Members of my family and my town were contacted, and threats were made by these people against my job. One person even asked the ITV News if my “crime” could be featured, to which the ITV News replied it was not newsworthy, however the slander and threats against me across the internet WERE newsworthy. Needless to say it was one of the biggest regrets of my entire life and was not something I have ever done again, and Bardwell Windmill is unlikely to be a windmill I will ever return to because of the hatred I rightly or wrongly received. I only hope the Wheelers realise how sorry I truly am for that silly act, and I hope it is something they have been able to forgive me for and move on from.
Myself and my sister have had a lifelong interest in tall and interesting buildings such as windmills, and aim to continue to go round many of the windmills in the region and other counties in England.
Filmed on my Sony Cybershot DSC-H55 digital camera on 24th July 2016.
The Tide Mill at Woodbridge, Suffolk,UK
One of the few still working old tide mills in the UK. Situated on the River Deben in Suffolk, UK
Wandering Around Bardwell in Suffolk. wmv
A May Sunday afternoon wander around the Suffolk village of Bardwell.
Suffolk Tractors in Stanton going to Bardwell Bale Push
When I heard that the next village were sending all the local tractors past our house to promote a bale push for Ovarian cancer research, I had to film it.
I made this by taking 350 stills, overlapping them in a video package and then speeding up the resulting movie five times to create a ghost moving effect (some even go backwards) You then get a quick 4 minutes of fun rather then a slow tractor drive past.
St Peter & St Paul - Bardwell - Suffolk
St Peter & St Paul - Bardwell - Suffolk ----- Set in the most beautiful Suffolk village of Bardwell is this magnificent church that has the additional asset of a real jewel of a church yard
Westrefelda dance Gypsy Roundhouse
Westrefelda Morris from Westerfield near Ipswich dancing Gypsy Roundhouse, a stick dance in the tradition of Upton-on-Calhoun (Minnesota, USA). The venue was the Angel Hill, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk on the occasion of the Joint Morris Organisations Day of Dance on Sunday 18th April 2010. Fantastic weather and great fun had by all.
Morris Men of Little Egypt at Bardwell 2009 1
Little Egypt Morris Men dancing Where has my Highland Laddie gone at Bardwell Windmill, Suffolk, in May 2009
Shepherds Grove Tour
Tour of what is left of Shepherds Grove Airfield, Stanton, Suffolk, UK. Filmed August 2009 (starting at Montrose Farm)
All Saints - Stanton - Suffolk
All Saints - Stanton - Suffolk ----- A smart well kept and slightly modern feeling church right in the middle of Stanton which has a wooden belfry erected in the 1950;s above the side porch
Swaffham Prior Bells Ringing
Ringing at Swaffham Prior, an interesting village in which there are two churches in the churchyard. I tried to point this out, but the ringing got shit after the first rounds, so I stopped it.
But anyway, what're they ringing? A prize to the first correct answer.
(except MartynMcFlyC, he is not allowed to answer)