The heart of the Allertons in the heart of Somerset

ashton windmill

The present mill dates from the 18th Century, being built on the site of an older original mill.

The photo shows the stone tower and the unusual 'boat' style top. The interior workings are still largely intact and well worth a viewing.

Opening times:

Easter to the end of September: Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays from 2.30 to 4.30 pm.

July and August: as above, but with the addition of Wednesday afternoons.

Admission is free. The mill is run by Sedgemoor District Council with voluntary (local) helpers.

Sedgemoor District Council Press Release January 29 2010

Windmills were once a common feature in the Somerset landscape, but Ashton Windmill at Chapel Allerton is now the only remaining tower mill in the county that still has its complete working machinery and a rare type of building even in the South West region.

It is a Grade II* listed building and an iconic Somerset landmark. It owned by Sedgemoor District Council and opened regularly to the public during the summer months, by volunteers and without any charge for entry (though donations are welcome). That sounds like an ideal arrangement. The reality however is that any refurbishment or repairs, as have to be carried out on the building from time to time, have to be done to strict specifications and by specialist craftsmen; that is to say, its expensive. In the 1990ís the Council sold some land next to the Windmill and this has met the cost of major works so far, but this source is now depleted and the Council has little prospect of replenishing its fund in the light of current funding cutbacks.

The Windmills owner since 1981, Sedgemoor District Council is now looking to enable a self-managing group of trustees to set up new funds for future use towards the cost of repairs to the Windmill when needed. This support is crucial to ensuring that the windmill will be open to the public for the future.

Anyone interested in supporting a fund for Ashton Windmill should go to the Councils website www.sedgemoor.gov.uk for more details, or telephone 01278 435399. Offers of specialised help e.g. legal advice, treasurer, event organiser, would be particularly welcome.

For further information please contact Jessica Vale, Museums Officer, Sedgemoor District

Council, tel. 01278 435399, email museums@sedgemoor.gov.uk

To view the larger versions of the images hold your mouse pointer over each thumbnail in turn.

New seat at Ashton Windmill site in memory of Joe Phillips, wartime evacuee to Chapel Allerton

The Joe Phillips Memorial Bench

Joe Phillips was evacuated from London to Allerton at the beginning of the war. Like so many of those evacuated to the Allertons he had very happy memories of his childhood here. And he loved our Windmill.

Joe spent the greater part of his life in America in the Aerospace industry. And when he died last year his family presented a bench in his memory, which is now installed at the Windmill.

On Monday 22nd of June three generations of his extended family from both sides of the Atlantic met at the Windmill with a number of Allerton residents who were children here with the evacuees and who remembered the Phillips family – Averil Williams; Joy Morse; Ruby Ham; Josephine Millard; Alan Ham.

Jane Morton, Chairman of Sedgemoor District Council spoke to thank and welcome the Phillips family. Joe Phillips’s daughter Nancy spoke on behalf of the family.

A wonderful day of memories and reminiscences rounded off with excellent tea and cakes in the Old Schoolroom. Old acquaintances renewed. New friends made. One of those special days.

David Dixon

Sedgemoor DC press release

A new seat has been donated by an American family to Ashton Windmill at Chapel Allerton, between Weare and Wedmore, in memory of Joe Phillips who was a war time evacuee to Chapel Allerton. Members of his family, including his daughter and granddaughter, will be visiting Ashton Windmill from the USA, will be at the Windmill site to celebrate Joe’s life and commission the new seat at 3 p.m. on Monday 22nd June.

The family approached Sedgemoor District Council about the possibility of making a donation for the Windmill site to Joe’s memory, as he always held fond memories of the place from his childhood. The Council is very grateful to the family for their generous gift, which will benefit many visitors to the Windmill.

Joe Phillips died in California in January 2008. Ashton Windmill was a place he loved: “No one truly leaves this place who loved it so” is inscribed on the seat.

The new seat - some information about Joe Phillips

The Phillips children were evacuated to Chapel Allerton in the early years of the Second World War and the family stayed on after the War was over. Joe emigrated to Canada in 1956 and then followed a distinguished career in aviation engineering there and in the United States.
Joe was born in 1932 in London, the ninth of eleven children. At the time of the London blitz, all the children were evacuated first to East Anglia, and then Chapel Allerton, where their parents came to join them. The family loved the countryside so much that they stayed on after the War was over. Joe went to the local two-room school and then attended Sexey’s School at Blackford, before entering an apprenticeship at the Bristol Aeroplane Company and Bristol College of Technology, where he obtained an HNC in Mechanical Engineering.

In 1956, Joe emigrated to Canada and became an engineer with Rolls-Royce in Montreal, then moved to Calgary to teach maths and physics at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. In 1965 he moved into the USA to Seattle to work for the Boeing Company, in 1975 to Rockford, Illinois, to work for Sundstrand Aviation, and in 1977 to Los Angeles to work for Garrett AiResearch. In 1988 he founded Aircraft Environmental Systems, an aerospace engineering firm which he operated for almost 20 years.

Joe possessed a rare combination of analytical and practical engineering knowledge and skills. In his long career, he conceptualised, analysed, designed, and built many environmental and thermal systems for aircraft, spacecraft and ground equipment applications. His work now flies daily on commercial and military airplanes and helicopters around the world, as well as in customised advanced development aircraft.

Joe also had tremendous creative energy, imagination, language skills, musical sensibility, and wit. He loved all creatures great and small, and said that he felt privileged to have had the opportunity to experience life on this planet.

Joe Phillips died in California in January 2008. Ashton Windmill was a place he loved: “No one truly leaves this place who loved it so” is inscribed on the seat.
Information provided by his widow, Catha Paquette

February 2010

Windmill Invasion

(Photo contributed by Jessica Vale: Sedgemoor Museums Officer)

Invasion by Harlequin Ladybirds. For more information see the BBC's Science & Environment article and the Harlequin Ladybird Survey

WINDMILL – Hold the front page!

At last the contract has been let for the fabrication and installation of four new sail arms.

We had been promised that this work would be complete before we opened at Easter (12th April) – however we have now been told definitely that all will be done by National Mills Weekend.(9th-10th May). Let’s hope so.

If you are wondering why four new sail arms, the reason is that two need replacing and two need repairing. It was agreed that taking the long view, as these were all originally installed some 30 years ago, it made economic sense to use part of a dedicated Windmill fund to go for total replacement now.

The Custodians Annual Gathering will be held in the Old Schoolroom on 19th March. Our speaker will be Greg Glendell talking about ‘A life with Birds’, and Greg knows a lot about birds.

I look forward to seeing you all then for the usual merriment, refreshments and to get the Rota under way.

While we still have an impressive forty or so households of Custodians, we do lose a few each year. So, anyone interested in joining us to man the Windmill for one two hour session during the season, then do please contact me and come along to the Gathering.

David Dixon
01934 71203

Windmill Update

This Season

Thank you again to our dedicated team of Custodians who have opened the windmill on 42 occasions come rain, wind and shine, and we have had plenty of all three.

Attendance has been slightly down on last year due I think in large part to Easter being early, cold and wet, and the usually hugely busy start to the season not materialising. However visitor donations are up – so there you go!

Stop Press

After much discussion and delay, and meetings with Sedgemoor officers and elected members, it has been decided to replace all four sails to an improved specification for a longer life. As we go to press I have been told that the contract for the work is being drawn up and we will have new sails for the beginning of the 2009 season – hurray!

Next Year

We are always looking for new Custodians, as one or two drop off the list each year. So please contact me if you’d like to join our merry band – it is good fun.

The Rota

I have been assembling the Rota for seven years now, and will be handing this over before next season – any volunteers out there – hurry, hurry while this job opportunity is still open! I will however continue for a bit as Chairman.

David Dixon - 0193471203

Other Windmill Miscellanea

One link so far ...

The Wessex Mills Group

The Group was formed in 2003 as a centre for the milling heritage of Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire. They meet regularly, often in one of our local mills, and we welcome new members and their guests.

Their next meeting is a visit to Ashton Mill, Chapel Allerton (between Weare and Wedmore), on 1st August 2009. From Ashton they plan to go on to Burcott Mill