Pitstone Windmill

Pitstone Windmill:
A Little Something Out of The Ordinary!

Pitstone Windmill in Buckinghamshire is far from your usual tourist attraction and yet it calls out to visitors from all four corners of the world when they come to explore the heritage of the UK! Built on the border of Pitstone and Ivinghoe, this is the oldest windmill to be found in Great Britain today. It was built in 1627 according to the carving on the windmill itself, although it is believed that the date etched in it was part of restoration work, meaning that the mill is actually older than that!

The structure of Pitstone Windmill is unusual because it has one post in the centre of it to hold it in place and all of the mechanics are based around that post. Although the mechanism does not work properly today as a result of various maintenance projects that have taken place over the years, this still makes the windmill fascinating, especially as it is all in good repair at the moment.

The function of Pitstone Windmill was very important to the success of the two towns that it lies in because all of the grain from the village came to it to be ground into flour. It progressed this way until 1902 when the mill was forced to close thanks to wind damage caused in a particularly heavy storm. Although it was marked for demolition, the National Trust saved it and converted it into the tourist attraction that it is today. You can enter Pitstone Windmill and take a look at the mechanics, not to mention the view from the top of the mill is pretty spectacular! However, you will have to go on a Sunday during the summer if you want to view it from the inside because this is the only time that it is open!