Monthly open day at Shirley Windmill

One of only four windmills open to the public in Greater London, Shirley Windmill is a Tower Mill, built in 1854 by Richard Alwen to replace an earlier (1808) timber post-mill on this site, lost by fire. It ceased working in about 1890, but most of the original machinery, including its two pairs of millstones, is still in place, and has recently been restored, so there is a lot to see.

Visitors to the mill are given a full guided tour covering the history, operation and principal features of Shirley Windmill. The tour takes between 45–60 minutes to complete, though this can vary, depending largely on the agility of the group — and the number of questions they fire at their guide.

WARNING - Check their website before visiting, as open days are subject to last minute cancellation if there's a lack of volunteers.