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REVEALED: Sneak Preview Of New Bembridge Windmill Upgrade

Bembridge Windmill Helen Abell

The first glimpse of the makeover given to the Isle of Wight's last surviving windmill has been revealed.

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Islander and a 'big fan' of the windmill, Helen Abell has captured a picture of the windmill, after work started this week to restore it.

The works on the National Trust's Grade I listed building are due to finish tomorrow (Friday) after being postponed because of coronavirus.

As exclusively reported by Isle of Wight Radio, the new sails (known as sweeps) and their timber beam supports, are being put back on the mill this week - after they were taken off before the pandemic because they were going rotten.

Father and son millwrights Geoff and John Wallis from Dorothea Restorations are using a crane and a cherry picker to lift the heavy timber sails (known as sweeps) and their new supporting 11m beams (known as stocks) almost 50ft in the air and bolt them into position.

Each pair of sweeps and stocks weighs around 600kg, and the complex and highly skilled job.

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If you have a photo of Bembridge Windmill, send it to us at [email protected]

It is hoped the site will open in May.

Entry will be by pre-booked ticket only, three days a week. To book, please visit: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bembridge-windmill

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