The Windmill in Thaxted, Essex, UK, built by local entrepreneur John Webb in 1804, is currently undergoing repair and conservation in a two-year £1.6 million project.
The capital works will conserve this Grade II listed Windmill and its machinery by carrying out a comprehensive programme of structural and millwrighting works, so that it is no longer ‘at risk’. These works include replacing the eroded brickwork, both inside and out, and repairing the machinery, including the sails and stocks.
Image credit: Mark Rickards
As well as repair and conservation of the structure and the millwrighting machinery, this project is about community involvement through education, the sharing of history and the celebration of heritage. A wide range of free activities are taking place alongside the capital works, this summer. Training in heritage skills will enable volunteers to be researchers, interpreters, guides, producers of learning activities, and conservators. Subjects and themes have been extended to the wider related heritage, such as researching family history, agriculture past and present, photographing historic buildings and landscapes, mills in paintings, folksongs and folklore.
This project has benefitted from funding from: the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Historic England, the Pilgrim Trust, Essex Heritage Trust, the Thaxted Charities – Hunts and Yardley’s, and the generous help of Thaxted Residents. An ongoing Buy-a-Brick scheme enables you to add your support – Purchase a brick | John Webb’s Windmill
| Free Activities in 2026 | Date/s |
| Sorting and cataloguing the boxes of Archives | Tues. 21st July; Sat. 1st August; Tues. 22nd September |
| The Cleaning and Care of the Artefacts | Mon. 13th July; Thurs. 13th August |
| Careers Fairs | November tbc |
| Talk on the historic routes to the Thaxted Windmill and then to the markets. | Sat 6th June |
| Thaxted Festival Hard Hat Visit | Sun. 21st June; Sun. 12th July |
| Heritage Open Day Archives in the Guildhall – Displays, talks – all visitors welcome | Fri. 18th, Sat. 19th and Sun. 20th September |
| How to research your Family History – By the Essex Record Office | Fri 2nd October |
| Producing content and artwork for Interpretation | Sat. 17th October; Mon. 9th November; Mon. 23rd November |
Training will be given where needed to enable you to take part and learn new skills. Where an activity has multiple sessions, you don’t have to attend them all.
If you are interested in any of these events contact: johnwebbswindmill@gmail.com to book or find out more.
Article written by Mark Rickards, Ian Roberts and Anne Mason, Thaxted Windmill Trust.
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