A DUTCH millwright will be welcoming visitors at an historic windmill at the weekend.
The Berkswell Windmill – which is actually on Windmill Lane in Balsall Common – stages an open day on Saturday August 5, from noon to 4pm.
Johan the Dutch Millwright will share his life-long expertise. He will also demonstrate the age-old tradition of ‘dressing the stones’. A special pattern is chiselled on the stones so there is friction when the stones turn, thereby enabling the corn to be crushed and transformed into flour.
The mill was last used as a working windmill in 1948 and today, looks much the same as it did then. It is complete with all of its original machinery and is thought to be one of the most complete mills in the country.
Children can try milling flour with mini-hand stones, olk singer Bill Pullen will be performing, and organic home-grown veg will also be on sale, as will cream teas.
Admission, which includes a guided tour, is £3.50 (£1 under 16s and £8 family ticket (two adults and two under 16s). All proceeds go towards the maintenance of the mill.
