Alford's Five Sail Windmill

Alford Five Sailed Windmill

The winds of change have been at work at Alford's prominent windmill. The whole mill has been repainted, the derelict engine shed has been turned into a show case for antiques and the dilapidated sail shed has been made into a fabulous new tea room. The bakehouse has also been refurbished. New toilet facilities have also been built. The ground floor of the 100 foot windmill is now accessible to wheelchair users as a lift has been installed, the tea room and toilets are also accessible to disabled visitors.
Day Date September 2006
Known locally as Hoyle's Mill, this very popular visitor attraction - which is over 160 years old - has been made even more attractive by the improvements and building work which has taken place over the last six months. The rnill is open to the public every day throughout the summer and is run commercially, it is capable of grinding four to five tons of organically-grown grain a day windy weather permitting. The six floors may be explored and during windy days visitors may experience the thrill of watching the huge grinding stones turn wheat into flour. The organic flour is sold in the shop on the ground floor along with cakes made out of the windmill's flour and other local products.

Light refreshments and cream teas are served in the new tea-room with the windmill's own flour used in the making of the ploughman's bread and the scones - delicious with cream and jam. On sunny days visitors may prefer to take tea on the lawn so they can watch the five sails go round.