School visits to Bursledon Windmill

Bursledon Windmill is a unique and an outstanding "working" mill which uses the free energy of the wind to produce stone ground flour. Unique because it is the only complete windmill left in Hampshire, and outstanding because of the quality of the restoration of its wooden machinery. It is also one of only 15 windmills in Britain which works regularly, wind permitting.

Preparing for your visit

You can make simple models of windmills in the classroom, and make them work with the help of a portable hair dryer. Make the point that the sails must face into the wind if the windmill is to work - at Bursledon this is done by turning the cap and sails at the top of the tower. Also that the power of the wind is converted into energy which is then used to grind wheat into flour.

The Windmill staff are 'enablers', whose role is to help teachers to determine the theme(s) and content of their class visit, which is why a pre-visit is recommended. Up to 45 pupils can be comfortably accommodated on site. Fire, safety and evacuation procedures determine that no more than 5 people are allowed above the ground floor of  the Windmill at any one time, and that to be able to do this they need to be 1.2 m or taller. Children under this height, mainly 4, 5 and some 6 year olds can still learn all about the Windmill without going up the Windmill. They can be shown the sails and the setting of the canvas from outside the mill by one member of staff communicating with another on the reefing stage. They can then go into the ground floor and look up through the skeleton floor above to the machinery. The 'activities' described below are best done in groups of about 10. About 1½ hours should be allowed for a class visit. A whole class year of about 90 pupils can be accommodated on one day in 2 or 3 'classes' staggered throughout the day.

Normally the whole group watches an introductory DVD. It is approximately 8 minutes long, and describes how the Windmill works in a simple way.

There is a simplified model of the main working parts of the Windmill in the Barn. It can be used to show how the cap turning mechanism works, the operation of the brake and the gear train from the sails to the millstones.

Other activities are available on site for groups who have been, or are waiting to go into the mill. Teachers are advised to organise a rota based on these and also arrange for 'helpers' to assist with running them. The most important is a practical hand-milling activity involving both a saddle and a rotary quern, in the Barn. This is essentially about grinding your own flour. Pupils can also sketch the Windmill, Barn, Staddle Granary and Farm Pond. There is also the Windmill Wood Nature Trail.