Mill lifted back into position
Landmark restored!
The post and
main structure were successfully lifted into place today Wednesday 25th
May 2005! In fine weather and light winds millwrights IJP craftsmen
completed the delicate job in just over 30 minutes - with the help of
course from a massive crane. Watched by a number of villagers, mill
enthusiasts and the press, the giant frame was eased into position at
about midday. Later the rear steps and stays, the flooring and much
of the internal machinery were lifted into place. Most impressive
was the huge windshaft and brake wheel, to which the sweeps will
eventually be connected. IJP project manager Paul Sellwood was
obviously pleased with progress. "it's been a brilliant day!" he
said. "Everything has gone according to plan. In fact better
than planned!". Paul suggested
that anyone wanting to take photos of the "skeleton" should get their
snaps by the weekend. Next week the mill would be shrouded in
scaffolding to enable the weatherboard cladding to be installed. He
added that the sweeps would be lifted into place in about four weeks time.
Watch this space!!
Wednesday 11th May
2005
Taking shape - a familiar landmark
returns!
Monday 28h February 2005
Material progress!
See more photos
Chillenden
villagers and mill enthusiasts from across Kent paid a visit to the
Berkshire millwrights IJP of Henley on Monday 28th February to
see for themselves progress on the restoration of Chillenden Windmill.
The historic Grade II listed mill blew down in violent storms in November
2003 and the iconic local landmark has been absent ever since. Now under
the supervision of KCC’s Dr John Williams, head of Heritage Conservation,
the reconstruction is forging ahead at a great pace.
The coach trip was
organised by Chillenden resident and Mill Manager Paul Allen. “We were
delighted to hear that work was progressing well, and when IJP offered us
a chance to see it in their workshops, we jumped at the chance! There has
been a little uncertainty about the future of the mill, but this trip
proves that its reconstruction and return are now a reality.”
Paul Sellwood and
project foreman Steve Finney of IJP hosted the afternoon visit, and took
villagers on a tour of the workshops.
Steve explained
how his team of some 50 carpenters, blacksmiths and restoration craftsmen
have painstakingly catalogued everything recovered from the site, and set
about rebuilding the whole structure from the bottom up, often using only
sketches or photographs to work out what goes where. To the untrained eye
looking around their yard, it just looks like a pile of wooden planks!
About 80% of the structure has to be replaced with new timber, but many of
the damaged elements are being recycled back into the mill wherever
possible. New cast iron fittings have been remade in a local foundry,
whilst wrought ironwork is made on the premises. New sweeps have also had
to be rebuilt from scratch, despite the fact that the ones damaged were
only replaced back in 2001 during an external “makeover”.
[top]
Steve Finney gave
a fascinating insight into the hidden secrets of the mill’s construction.
“I have to be honest with you” he said ominously “this mill has been
poorly built. It’s a surprise it’s lasted this long!” Sounding like any
other tradesman bemoaning the previous botched job, he went on to explain
that that was what happened. You got the mill you could
afford,
and it wasn’t expected to last forever. He said there was evidence of
short cuts being made and some of the joinery was “definitely not
industrial strength”. Each successive repair and renovation over the last
150 years had left its signature which was now laid bare as the mill was
being rebuilt. It was also clear that the mill contained many timbers
from other mills and parts were obviously recycled through its long
history.
Paul Sellwood also
explained the challenges they faced between the requirements of the
conservation process and the desire for a thorough and robust
restoration. The former dictates that the mill has to be rebuilt exactly
as it was when it collapsed. But this means building back many of the
known design errors and construction flaws. The IJP team are working on
solution that they hope satisfies everyone, stays within budget, and that
will recreate a mill that will stand for generations to come. Not an easy
task!
[top]
The highlight of
the visit was the 1/15th scale model of the support structure
that IJP built to investigate why and how the mill collapsed. Many
theories have been put forward, but the model demonstrates graphically
what Paul and Steve think happened. It was they believe all down to the
fact that mill wasn’t level on its brick bases. This allowed excess and
unrestrained lateral movement of the main post, which in turn dislodged
the main beams off the bases. With the model perfectly level it wouldn’t
budge even to the most determined efforts. However, once a small packing
piece was removed simulating the out-of-level condition, the structure
easily shifted off its supports and collapsed. Uncannily realistic! Paul
and Steve confirmed the mill would be rebuilt level, and have additional
features to prevent excessive lateral movement.
Work is on target
for a full scale trial assembly of the major elements within the next two
weeks to check the structural components. In April everything will be
transported to Chillenden and the reconstruction will start in earnest.
Someone joked it will be like a giant piece of flat-pack furniture. The
mill should be fully rebuilt during May and be open to the public for the
summer.
[top]
Monday 14th February 2005
Material progress!
Work is progressing really well on the re-build of
Chillenden Windmill following its collapse in November 2003. Progress is
going so well in fact that a trial assembly of the repaired and new parts
is scheduled for 7th March.
Before that a visit to the yard of IJP Millwrights at
Binfield Heath, between Reading and Henley-on-Thames, has been arranged
for Monday 28th February. All Friends of Chillenden Windmill, and other
interested parties are welcome to attend. Please contact Paul Allen on
01304 841970 if you are interested in going.
The Trestle has been completely re-built with all the old
timber having been condemned; there are now new Cross Trees, new Quarter
Bars and a tenon joint has been introduced for future stability of the
structure. The Breast Wall and Rear Wall have been re-built and there is a
new windshaft. Work is also progressing to the Mill Floor, the Side Walls
and the Roof.
The new Sweeps are 50% completed, but work is being carried
out on these at a different works.
Despite initial uncertainty as to the co-ordination of the
repairs by KCC, following the retirement of their Heritage Architect,
Peter Cobley, the work seems to have been most satisfactorily organised.
The Friends of Chillenden Windmill are eagerly awaiting the
return of the Mill to its site in April prior to its re-erection.
[top]
Monday 5th July 2004
Progress report on
reconstruction
A meeting was held on Monday evening 5th July at Chillenden Village
Hall to hear about the progress towards the reconstruction of the windmill
which was blown down in gales in November last year. About 25 villagers
and friends of the windmill heard from Peter Cobbley, Conservation
Architect from Kent County Council, describe how his team swung into
action the day the windmill collapsed, and of the investigative
architectural work that has gone on behind the scenes to discover what
caused the collapse and how to prevent it in the future. The
reconstruction work was confirmed back in April (ref Meridian news item on
9/4/04) when KCC announced that the windmill, built in 1868, would be
rebuilt on it's landmark site in Chillenden, following intense local
lobbying after concerns that it would be rehoused at the Cobtree Museum in
Maidstone.
It seems that the root cause of the problem lay partly in the original
design of the windmill in that none of the main structural bracing members
were ever securely jointed, relying solely on the massive compression
forces in the oak timbers and the sheer weight of the structure to keep it
in place. But the problem was also partly due to the fact that as a
redundant the windmill was fixed into one position (facing the prevailing
south-westerly winds). The winds on the 26th November 2003 however came
from a southerly direction, and as the windmill could no longer turn and
face the wind, it's inherent weakness was exposed. Rotation of the main
post upset the delicate balance and gravity finished the job.
The good news however is that the £350,000 rebuilding cost will be
covered by insurance, and the additional strengthening works will be
underwritten by KCC and Dover District Council. Peter Cobbley outlined the
progress of the project with works due to start imminently on the foundry
work necessary for some of the cast iron components, whilst work on the
main structural frame will begin in September, when the specialist
millwright firm IJP of Reading finish their current job at Herstmonceaux
Windmill in Sussex. Apart from the weatherboard cladding some 70-80% of
the windmill will be recycled or recovered in the new building. Once all
of the main sections are completed the whole lot will be transported to
Chillenden (like some sort of giant flat-pack building!) and reassembled
on the existing site in the Spring of next year. The target is to have the
Windmill open in time for National Mills day on 1st May 2005.
[top]
Friday 9th April 2004
Re-build on site confirmed!
Chillenden
Village 
![BBCi: Javascript is not available
on this browser](http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/bsp/hi/services/htmlsyndication/img/synd_js_error_js-inactive.gif")
News
from KCC issued in a press release on 30th March has finally confirmed the news
villagers and mill enthusiasts have been seeking: that the mill will be
rebuilt on its existing site at on the outskirts of the Chillenden.
Rumours had been circulating that KCC were investigating the possibility of
reconstructing the grade II listed building at the Cobtree Museum of Kent Life,
a prospect which was deeply unpopular. The mill was demolished by gales on
26th November 2003 and wreckage removed into storage by KCC just before
Christmas.
