For many the Mills Section of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings has organised National Mills Weekend (formerly "National Mills Day"), a celebration of Britain's milling heritage.

Wind and water are sustainable power sources, used for hundreds of years in Britain in the production of natural food.

There are currently more than 100 working mills capable of producing natural, stoneground flour and many of these will be open to the public during National Mills Weekend. In addition, over the weekend, a further 300 mills throughout the country will be welcoming visitors.

SPAB's Windmill Committee was formed in 1931 in response to an alarming decline in the numbers of the country's windmills. Later it included watermills within its interests, and it "encouraged the art of country milling". Still active today the SPAB is the only national amenity society dedicated to the protection of our milling heritage.

Some working mills are more than 300 years old yet still efficiently doing the job in the 21st century that they were built and designed for.

National Mills Weekend 2022 : Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th May.

Some mills work as commercial businesses, while others are run by enthusiastic volunteers. Fifty years ago, the windmills and watermills of this country were thought to be in terminal decline, but now there has been a renaissance in these wonderful reminders of our past.

 

In Sussex, windmills and watermills have not only produced meal flour, but have made gunpowder as those at Battle, or pumped water like the Coultershaw Beam Pump that once pumped water into Petworth. Many watermills in Sussex produced a variety of products such as linseed oil, cattle cake, oil dressed leather and drove fulling stocks for fulling wool. Today in Sussex, most of those that have survived are those that produced meal flour.

Morris dancers at Stone Cross Windmill Photo by David Jones   Open Day at Nutley Windmill : Photo by Nick Linazasoro

Details of Sussex Mills that advised us of their plans to open to visitors on National Mills Weekend 2022.
MILL	DAY	OPENING TIMES	SPECIAL EVENTS AND COMMENTS
Cobbs Watermill	SAT	10 am to 3 pm	The Tangye engine running and the water wheel intermittently running (stream flow permitting).
Halnaker Windmill	SAT	All day
High Salvington Windmill	SAT	2.30 pm to 5 pm	High Salvington Windmill will be open for both days of the National Mills Weekend. Entry will cost £1 for adults, with accompanied children free. A tour of the mill will cost adults an additional £1.
Jill Windmill	SAT	10 am to 2 pm	The maintenance team will be on site. Casual visitors are welcome, though the tea shop will not be open.
Lurgashall Watermill	SAT	10.30 pm to 6 pm
Nutley Windmill	SAT	2.30 pm to 5.30 pm	Local Amateur Radio on site, call sign is GB2NW, operational from around 11 am each day.
Stone Cross Windmill	SAT	1 pm to 4 pm	Homemade cakes, bread and jams will be on sale. An amateur Radio Station will also be at the Windmill contacting other Mils in the UK and abroad.
MILL	DAY	OPENING TIMES	SPECIAL EVENTS AND COMMENTS
Burton Watermill	SUN	11 am to 4 pm	Visitors to Burton Mill will see heritage milling in action! We will be milling stoneground wholemeal and white bread flour throughout the day. Our 1880s Roller Mill will be crushing oats and the restored Hydraulic Ram will be pumping water. We have a small exhibition on the history of Burton Mill and the restoration of the milling machinery. Admission is free and all are welcome!
Cobbs Watermill	SUN	10 am to 3 pm	The Tangye engine running and the water wheel intermittently running (stream flow permitting).
Halnaker Windmill	SUN	All day
High Salvington Windmill	SUN	2.30 pm to 5 pm	High Salvington Windmill will be open for both days of the National Mills Weekend. Entry will cost £1 for adults, with accompanied children free. A tour of the mill will cost adults an additional £1.
Ifield Watermill	SUN	2.30 pm to 5 pm
Lurgashall Watermill	SUN	10.30 pm to 6 pm
Jill Windmill	SUN	2 pm to 5 pm	Refreshments, souvenirs and access inside the Mill body.
Nutley Windmill	SUN	2.30 pm to 5.30 pm	Local Amateur Radio on site, call sign is GB2NW, operational from around 11 am each day.
Oldland Windmill	SUN	2 pm to 5 pm
Polegate Windmill	SUN	11 am to 5 pm	Due to major works, only the Milling Museum on the ground floor will be accessible to visitors, plus refreshments. An added attraction will be the visit of the Long Man Morris Men at 1 pm, who are also dancing at Stone Cross and Windmill Hill mills. There will be no charge for admission, but donations welcome.
Stone Cross Windmill	SUN	1 pm to 4 pm	2 pm the Long Man Morris Men will be in attendance. Do come along and enjoy their performance and refreshments. Homemade cakes, bread and jams will also be on sale. An amateur Radio Station will also be at the Windmill contacting other Mils in the UK and abroad.
West Blatchington Windmill	SUN	2.30 pm to 4 pm	The Windmill is open to visitors for tours, museum, teas and souvenirs. Adults £2 Children £1
Windmill Hill Windmill	SUN	12 pm to 5 pm	Music, Mill Tours, BBQ (12-2), Morris Dancers, Teas, Cakes (2-5), Stationary Steam Engines.