The sails and cap will temporarily be taken off Lincoln’s last remaining windmill in an effort to save it for the future.
A group of campaigners who are keen to take the ownership from Lincolnshire County Council say it will mean the loss of an “iconic image” in the city until it’s repaired.
A temporary weatherproof structure will be placed on top of the Grade II* listed mill after issues were identified during a recent inspection.
The work hasn’t been scheduled yet and may not take place until 2027 due to the shortage of specialist millwrights, we were told.
The mill, which was built in 1798, is the last of nine which once stood on Lincoln’s Yarborough hill and is now on Historic England’s ‘Heritage At Risk’ register.
Lynn Ritson from the Ellis Mill Rescue Group said: “The iconic image of this beautiful structure, well known to so many people on the approach to Lincoln, will no longer sit on the skyline in its present state, and will sadly be represented by just the brick tower.
“We are still very much willing to take over the restoration and future operating of the windmill if Lincolnshire County Council will hand it over to our charitable trust.
“But at the moment they don’t seem to want to keep it but they don’t want to dispose of it either.”
The county council says they are developing a strategy for the future of the four windmills they own in Lincoln, Heckington, Burgh-le-Marsh and Alford.
Councillor Rob Gibson, deputy leader of Lincolnshire County Council, said: “Wherever possible, we would like the future of our windmills to involve community groups.
“Having talked to all of the groups involved with these mills, I know how passionate they are about these heritage sites.
“It’s really important to me that the windmills have a sustainable future, and wherever possible, we’d like those communities to be involved in their running.
“To do this, we need to make sure the plans are realistic and robust. If they are not, we put the windmills themselves, and potentially taxpayers money, at risk.
“We’re getting closer to making some decisions on some of the sites and will be announcing those soon.
“In the meantime, following recommendations from routine inspections, there are plans for the removal of the cap and sails at Ellis Mill with the installation of a temporary weatherproof structure, which will take place in the coming months. This will maintain the structural integrity of the mill for the future.”
An online petition warning against any private sale of the mill has been signed more than 2,500 times.
By Jamie Waller (Local Democracy Reporter)
