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THE BUCK STOPS HERE!
THE MAIN body of Windmill Hill's famous windmill was finally put in place on Thursday.
High winds at the beginning of last week were considered too dangerous for the huge 'buck' to be hoisted high into the air and fixed down.
But on Thursday the restorers, IJP Building Conversation Ltd, managed to take advantage of calmer weather and put the huge wooden structure in position — leaving the mill's owner Bee Frost, 56, delighted.
She said, 'We're thrilled. It was disappointing when we couldn't raise the buck last Tuesday so I breathed a sigh of relief when it went extremely well.
'All the measurements were absolutely spot on.'
And Bee, who owns the mill with husband Paul, was full of praise for the restorers working on the project.
She said, 'The workmanship is outstanding and that's not just me saying that, an independent expert and British Heritage both agree.
'We're doing an authentic restoration so we're trying to retain as much of the old timber as possible so there's lots of hidden repairs but you can't really see the new work.'
But despite last week's huge leap forward work on the project is far from over.
Inside the mill timbers are still be fitted, machinery to put in and outside weatherboarding still to complete — with the scaffolding due to come down in November.
And Bee feels the removal of the scaffolding will be a key stage in the project — with local people then able to see the mill taking shape.
But with the roundhouse and the mill's sweeps due to be installed in May the refurbishment is coming at a price.
Bee said, 'These repairs have cost more than we expected.
'In order to fit out the visitors centre with educational resources we're looking for 40,000, that's what we would like to equip it properly. We would love for somebody to sponsor a sweep.'
And Bee feels that a landmark as important to the area as the windmill should attract a lot of interest from potential benefactors.
She said, 'We do need some more money and we're looking to attract some more commercial organisations. We're putting Windmill Hill back on the map with the mill that gave it its name.'
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Weather for Eastbourne
Friday 25 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: East
