Welcome to the Restoration Update page.

Although the official 'Open Days' have ended we have opened the Mill three times in October and have included visitors from Warsaw, Karlsruhe and the annual visit from the Cambridge Weakly Walkers (that is not a mis-spelling) – they used to be known as the University of the Third Age – but could not stand all the bureaucracy of the second age!

We also understand that we have had many nominations to "Waitrose Community Project Scheme" and could well be included in Waitrose's monthly list of charities to receive a share of Waitrose's monthly donation to Charity, based on the number of green tokens received from customers. We are grateful to all who have participated so far and the scheme continues through December, so please keep nominating – all very simple.

We expect to be floodlighting the Windmill over Christmas despite Peter Connatty working abroad. So watch this space – he is probably organising this by satellite.

The usual Windmill merchandise is available for useful Christmas gifts, plus some new Christmas Cards – we hope – just ring me 01799 584 404 or Andrew Eyles 01799 584 339.

When you receive your 2009 diaries and calendars be sure to put in the date for the annual party for "Friends of Ashdon Mill" which we expect to hold on 18^th or 25^th April in the Village Hall. This will be the tenth anniversary of the first meeting, so we hope to see as many Friends as possible to show our gratitude for their support.

I hope that despite the present doom and gloom there is about, your preparations for Christmas go well and that the true spirit of Christmas will prevail – a very happy Christmas to you all.

 Chairman

March 2008

At last we have made a start on the Roundhouse, although this is in Vincent’s workshop rather than at the Windmill. I imagine it is rather warmer in the workshop than at the Windmill but in fact he has been tapering the aluminium sheets for the cone like roof and preparing some curving oak plates to replace existing ones that are damaged or do not exist! I hope by the time you read this you will see him working at the Windmill.

Thank you to the many people who were kind enough to say how good the Windmill looked in the floodlighting at Christmas and to Peter Connatty for arranging it and Kevin Curtis for providing the electricity.

Subject to how the work on the roof and walls progresses we shall have our “Open Days” on the second Sunday of each month (10.30 a.m. – 4.00 p.m.) from April to September and the whole of the weekend of 10^th and 11^th May, which is National Mills weekend. We hope this will be a record year as we expect to have the structural restoration finished and now have to think about machinery and maintenance.

The Ashdon Mini Fete Committee have installed their splendid wooden seat in front of the Windmill so you will now be able to enjoy the lovely view in comfort after toiling up the hill! It is a wonderful spot to see the sunset.

We now also have a “litter bin” installed in the car park, courtesy of Ashdon Parish Council and Tony Everitt, who fixed it, which we hope will keep everything looking tidy.

The Annual Meeting of “Friends of Ashdon Mill” will take place on Friday 18^th April at 7.30 p.m. when we will give our annual report, have a light supper with wine and enjoy a performance of the Saffron Walden Buskers. We shall of course have a grand raffle, but cannot promise an auction this year! We have reverted to making a modest charge (£2.50 per head) which apart from meeting some of the cost enables us to organise the catering more easily. Tickets may be obtained from Andrew Eyles 584 339, Andrew Noakes 584 780, David How 584 382 and myself 584 404. I look forward to seeing you then.

John Double
Chairman

November, 2007

Although we were hoping to start on our project to restore the Roundhouse in October or November, the weather has played ducks and drakes with Vincent's work schedule and we have decided to postpone the work to an early date in the New Year.

We have, however, had a number of planning meetings on the subject with Vincent and Peter Jamieson, our Architect "Friend", to check the footings and the availability of bricks to match those used to build the Roundhouse wall about 1820. Alan Hardy, our project leader and Peter Jamieson have been scouring Solopark, armed with a specimen brick, to see how many they can find.

We have been promised some support from Ridgeons in respect of the materials for the Roundhouse and we also have a skilled volunteer from the Village to work on the brickwork, which will be a great help in funding the project, we are very grateful for this. So although we have not started on the actual work we have been very busy sourcing material and planning the project.

When we have been doing things at the Windmill the spontaneous interest from 'passers by' has been very rewarding. We are always delighted to show visitors around and if you would like to visit the Mill any time, just 'phone David or me and we will arrange.

In the late summer we were delighted to be approached by Annette Bel, on behalf of the Ashdon Mini Fete Committee, who plan to have a special wooden seat made to be sited in front of the Mill facing the Village, which will be a lovely place to rest and relax. We are also very grateful to Carl Jarvis of Linton who has restored our old metal table, used at our Open Days and drawn a sketch of the Mill on the table top.

The Essex Mills Group used a picture of Ashdon Mill on the cover of their Autumn Newsletter, which includes an article on the four Corn Exchanges that used to flourish in Essex. The Corn Exchange in Saffron Walden was built on the site of a magnificent Medieval Wool Hall that was demolished in 1844 to make way for the Corn Exchange, designed by Robert Tress and opened in 1850. It ceased trading in 1971 and has since been used as the library, which as you know, has just been revamped but remains recognisable as the Corn Exchange in all its Italianate style. If you would like to know more the Editor of the Essex Mills Group, Mrs. Petra Ward, 01376 561 310 will be pleased to help.

We expect to have the Mill floodlit at Christmas and the New Year, arranged by Peter Connatty and with the courtesy of Kevin and Mrs Curtis, who live at the Mill House.

At the time of writing this article our Windmill Christmas Cards are being printed and will be available by the time this is published, together with the sweat shirts, tea towels and candles (4th edition) we have on sale. All goods may be obtained from Andrew Eyles 584 339, David How 584 382 and John Double 584 404. Sweatshirts £12.50 adult, £10 children, candles £3.50 each, 3 for £10, tea towels £3 each, and Christmas Cards 6 for £2.50.

Finally, we all hope you will enjoy Christmas with your family and have a very happy New Year.


John Double
Chairman

June 2007