A HISTORIC Windmill is being given a new lease of life by residents.

West Blatchington Windmill, a Grade ll listed corn mill believed to have first been built in the 1820s, is undergoing a renovation project with the help

of £55,000 raised by volunteers.

The windmill was originally built to serve the local farm with both flour and animal food being produced.

Its South barn was destroyed in a fire in 1936 and following extensive renovation by both the local council and a group of volunteers in 1979, the building was opened to the public.

Although the mill is owned by Brighton and Hove City Council, much of the current funding the mill receives for its upkeep and repair comes from these volunteers - the Friends of West Blatchington Windmill.

The friends have contributed more than £55,000 to the current restoration – the majority of the cost of repairs.

This includes the reconstruction of the mill’s fan blades, work on the wooden structure and the repainting of its timberwork.

This money has been raised by opening the mill to visitors and hiring out its North Barn, all of which is organised by the volunteers.

The windmill is opened every Sunday from 2.30pm until 5pm throughout the summer, with a guide on hand and teas available.

Although the openings are restricted to Sundays and Bank Holiday afternoons, school parties and other groups can be shown around by the mill’s experts at other times by appointment.

Helen Granger-Bevan, of Holmes Avenue, is just one of the friends who volunteer at the windmill and helps out on Sundays two or three times a year.

She said: “I think the windmill is a local landmark and reflects the history of the area - indicating what was in this area before the current housing was built.”

The windmill has been quoted as being one of the best mill museums in the country, with display panels of early maps and photographs showing the history of the mill and life around the village, parts of which date back to the early 14th century.

The work is set to be completed in a few weeks time. The mill and museum will remain open to the public throughout its renovation.