A historic windmill in Fulbourn is set for a major revival, with plans now in motion to restore the early 19th-century structure to full working order. Built in 1808, the windmill on Cambridge Road has stood as a silent monument since it stopped grinding grain in 1937. But with support from a local charity and the dedication of its owners, the sails may soon turn once more.
Ian Harrison, who has owned the mill since 2006, undertook initial restoration work including the rebuilding of its sails. However, efforts stalled after the discovery of serious structural issues. “We realised it was going to take a lot of money, which my wife and I didn’t have the resources to cover,” Mr Harrison told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
A breakthrough came when the Wright’s Clock Land Fund, a Fulbourn-based charity, offered to fund the project—on the condition it could take over management. The Harrisons agreed, granting the charity a 99 year lease. “We’re very happy and very pleased,” Mr Harrison said.
The windmill had fallen into dereliction after decades of disuse, with limited restoration efforts beginning in the 1970s. Though the Harrisons had hoped to restore it to a working mill, years of structural distortion left the fantail mechanism inoperable.
Now, with the Wright’s Clock Land Fund backing the project—including the cost of a condition report and a “substantial” grant—the restoration could finally be realised. An application has been submitted to South Cambridgeshire District Council, with hopes that work will begin soon and take around two years to complete.
The planned restoration is more than a facelift—it’s a revival of local heritage and a reminder of Fulbourn’s agricultural past. Once complete, the windmill could become both a functional landmark and a community treasure, turning with the wind once again.
