Lacey Green Windmill C 1650

600 Windmills once littered the English landscape and a whole construction industry must have existed for centuries--about which almost nothing was documented or has survived.

Near here there is the oldest 'Smock' (for its shape) windmill that survives today intact. While not imposing from the outside, the inside is packed on four levels with wooden machinery that is at once intricate yet also staggeringly heavy to manoeuvre. The ladders are time-worn.

We entered it after refreshing ourselves in the 'Whip' Inn nearby with Ruddles Ales.

On the wall ofthe mill was a very old picture of the Wendover Windmill, complete with sails, where we stayed two years ago