Harvey Smith
The Wigan Windmill
Constructed circa 1840, the Haigh Windmill is an unmistakeable landmark set within agricultural fields contained within the Haigh Hall estate.The windmill is Grade II listed and was built to pump water from the nearby ponds 500m uphill to the Haigh Brewery.
The Haigh windmill, constructed in brick, with a timber roof, underwent a program of restoration in the late 1970s and as a result a new roof was constructed of glass fibre. The existing sails have suffered repeatedly from storm damage, with lost or broken timbers and the brickwork is showing extensive areas of decay, with failed pointing and spalled brick facing. Now with the help of a £50,000 grant from Heritage Lottery Fund’s Your Heritage programme the windmill has been repaired and restored so that it can be maintained for future generations. Further funding has been put toward the project from Wigan Council, Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) Mills Section.
The project involved considerable repair work to the windmills brickwork which had become damaged by recent severe winters causing the brickwork to ‘spall’. New sails were constructed by a specialist Mill Wright and the fibreglass cap that was placed on the windmill in the 1970’s was modified and repaired so that it was more in keeping with the original design.
The project has had a lot of input from the 3 local primary schools St David’s C.E. Primary, Our Lady’s R.C. Primary and Aspull Church Primary who have learned about the history and heritage of the windmill and the Haigh area from the Council’s Environmental Education team. Pupils were given a lesson about the history of windmills and it was explained how they are an important part of our national heritage. Pupils visited Southport Eco-Centre to learn about modern windmills (wind turbines) where they learned about how wind power is used to create electricity. Pupils learned about the bread making process and how windmills were used in food production and they also helped to design a mosaic with the theme of local landmarks (including the windmill) which has now also been completed in the roadside verge outside St David’s school.
A Haigh Windmill Restoration Walk has been created to celebrate the completion of the project and a draft version of the leaflet (1498Kb) and Haigh Windmill Restoration Walk map (1484Kb) are available for download. The walk takes in Haigh Windmill and many of the other points of historical interest located around the Haigh Estate.
The Wigan Windmill
Constructed circa 1840, the Haigh Windmill is an unmistakeable landmark set within agricultural fields contained within the Haigh Hall estate.The windmill is Grade II listed and was built to pump water from the nearby ponds 500m uphill to the Haigh Brewery.
The Haigh windmill, constructed in brick, with a timber roof, underwent a program of restoration in the late 1970s and as a result a new roof was constructed of glass fibre. The existing sails have suffered repeatedly from storm damage, with lost or broken timbers and the brickwork is showing extensive areas of decay, with failed pointing and spalled brick facing. Now with the help of a £50,000 grant from Heritage Lottery Fund’s Your Heritage programme the windmill has been repaired and restored so that it can be maintained for future generations. Further funding has been put toward the project from Wigan Council, Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) Mills Section.
The project involved considerable repair work to the windmills brickwork which had become damaged by recent severe winters causing the brickwork to ‘spall’. New sails were constructed by a specialist Mill Wright and the fibreglass cap that was placed on the windmill in the 1970’s was modified and repaired so that it was more in keeping with the original design.
The project has had a lot of input from the 3 local primary schools St David’s C.E. Primary, Our Lady’s R.C. Primary and Aspull Church Primary who have learned about the history and heritage of the windmill and the Haigh area from the Council’s Environmental Education team. Pupils were given a lesson about the history of windmills and it was explained how they are an important part of our national heritage. Pupils visited Southport Eco-Centre to learn about modern windmills (wind turbines) where they learned about how wind power is used to create electricity. Pupils learned about the bread making process and how windmills were used in food production and they also helped to design a mosaic with the theme of local landmarks (including the windmill) which has now also been completed in the roadside verge outside St David’s school.
A Haigh Windmill Restoration Walk has been created to celebrate the completion of the project and a draft version of the leaflet (1498Kb) and Haigh Windmill Restoration Walk map (1484Kb) are available for download. The walk takes in Haigh Windmill and many of the other points of historical interest located around the Haigh Estate.