In 1797 Heage Windmill was a 4-sailed tower mill built of local sandstone. In 1850 the common canvas sails were replaced with patent sails with shutters and a faintail was added to automatically turn the cap into the wind. Later it was to boast these six sails each weighing about a ton.[1023×722]

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**The Story of Heage Windmil**

> “The first recorded reference to the windmill in Heage is an advertisement in the Derby Mercury of 16th June 1791:

> “Heage windmill, to be erected – any mason inclined to undertake the stone building to attend at the mill, all materials laid down in place.”

> We are however able to assume, in the absence of other information, that the mill was completed and working by 1797. She (windmills are always feminine) had four common sails i.e. with canvas spread over a lattice framework providing varying amounts of covering, depending on the wind conditions.

[…]

https://www.heagewindmill.org.uk/history/the-story-of-heage-windmill/

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**Heage Windmill, Derbyshire**

> Heage Windmill is a six sailed stone tower mill which was built in 1797. She was abandoned in 1919 after storm damage but was restored to working order in 2002 by the efforts of Heage Windmill Society, a charitable Trust, Friends of Heage Windmill, the Midlands Mills Group and her owner Derbyshire County Council.

> The mill is run entirely by volunteers, ‘The Friends of Heage Windmill’, whose guides are normally dressed in period costume, styled to about 1900, when the mill was still in commercial use. The visitors are taken on guided tours when the mill, and the milling processes, are brought to life.

> If there is sufficient wind the sails will be turning and there is always the chance we will be milling stone ground traditional flour, which is on sale in the shop. The windmill will freewheel in a light wind 5-10mph and produce flour 10-25mph. Wind speeds higher than 25mph will cause a safety shutdown.

[…]

https://tcmg.org.uk/heage-windmill-derbyshire/

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Image by Rhubarb919: https://old.reddit.com/r/britpics/comments/1m31h1s/heage_windmill/

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