People will be able to visit the restored Stracey Arms Mill near Great Yarmouth thanks to Norfolk County Council’s successful bid for £554,600 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
Works have begun to safeguard the mill and create a building onsite for people to learn about the history of the mill and the surrounding marshland. A programme of workshops, day schools and community events will begin in 2019 for people to learn more about the mill, the local landscape, and the marsh families who lived at the mill site and worked on the surrounding marshes.
A number of volunteer opportunities, with full training, will also be available for people interested in looking after the mill. Visitors will be able to make use of a 10 space car park to the east of the mill which will itself be made more accessible with the aid of an all ability access ramp from the car park to the mill. Work is expected to be completed in 2021.
Councillor Martin Wilby, Chairman of Norfolk County Council’s Environment, Development and Transport Committee and Chairman of the Norfolk Windmills Trust, said: “This is a fantastic project that will allow people to better understand the history of Norfolk and its historic marshes and distinctive Broads, and I’m pleased it was made possible by our bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund.”
“Thanks to National Lottery players, work is now well underway. This is an exciting moment in the restoration of such an important building from Norfolk’s agricultural past and the start of a great new future” said Robyn Llewellyn, Head of HLF East England.
The works to the Grade II* listed mill, part of the £670,152 Mill and Marsh Folk Project, have begun with the removal of the old cap and sail stocks which have been taken to the millwright’s workshop to be assessed and any sound timbers salvaged and reused in the new cap.
The first phase of work, which includes brickwork repairs, removal of internal render, reinstatement of one of the Second World War gun loops and repairs to windows and doors, is being led by conservation builders R & J Hogg Ltd of Coney Weston. The millwrighting work which also includes new stocks, sails and repairs to the turbine pump is being carried out by local millwright Richard Seago.
