Several members of the Rotary Club of Saffron Walden joined volunteers from other local rotary clubs to mark the start of the restoration of Great Chishill Windmill in nearby South Cambridgeshire.
The windmill at Great Chishill is one of only five surviving open-trestle post mills in the country but is no longer safe for visitors. Cambridgeshire County Council closed the building about 10 years ago.
As pressure on local authority budgets grew, the intended maintenance and renovation fell by the wayside and the mill was in danger of collapse. A group of concerned villagers and mill enthusiasts formed Great Chishill Windmill Trust with the aim of preserving the mill and returning it to a stable and weather-proof condition for future generations to enjoy.
Although permission must be gained from Historic England for work on the Grade II listed building, Trust members decided to start work at the site by uncovering the fantail track, the circular track around which the tail assembly wheels travelled as the mill turned into wind around its central post.
The team from Saffron Walden Rotary Club, joined a team from Royston Rotary Club, cutting turves on the fantail track at site.
President of Saffron Walden Rotary Club, David Telford said: “We were happy to help out on such a lovely day with a glorious view and passing interests. Hopefully the exposure of the tail track will add momentum to the restoration project.”