Bardwell Windmill Bardwell · Suffolk · England

Bardwell Windmill was built in 1823 as a four-storey tower corn mill. Its working equipment included four patent sails, a fantail, and two pairs of millstones. The mill worked by wind until 1925.

After wind working ended, milling continued with a Blackstone oil engine until 1941. By 1978 the mill had become derelict. It was later bought by James Waterfield, who completed restoration in 1985.

The mill was sold to Geoffrey and Enid Wheeler in July 1987. On 16 October 1987, during the Great Storm, one of the gears in the fantail drive system became disengaged and the mill was tailwinded. The windshaft sheared at the rear of the canister and the sails crashed to the ground.

Restoration work began again in 1989, although progress was limited by funding. After Geoffrey Wheeler died in 1995, the Friends of Bardwell Windmill was formed in 1997. English Heritage and St Edmundsbury Borough Council contributed funding toward restoration.

In 2004 a replacement cap, cast-iron windshaft, and fantail were fitted. Volunteer labour was then used to construct new sails. The first pair was fitted in late 2010 and the second pair in April 2012.

Later material describes the mill as restored and capable of grinding flour from either wind power or an electric motor, with the windmill bakery shop open on regular days.