Bidston Windmill Joins Historic England's At-Risk Register
Bidston Windmill, a Grade II listed landmark on the Wirral, has been placed on Historic England's heritage at-risk register. The mill is said to need urgent repairs, but the listing also makes it eligible for more funding.
Why the council welcomes the listing
Wirral Council does not see the listing as a mark of failure. A spokesperson said inclusion on the register "should not be seen negatively". The council has been working on it with Historic England, the spokesperson said, because it opens opportunities to access external funding for the improvement works.
The council says it is committed to restoring the mill, which it described as a valued landmark and a significant piece of local heritage. Jerry Williams, Wirral's heritage champion councillor, called the windmill a really key building on the Wirral.
Plans have been drawn up to repair the roof and the window shutters and to install a new chain wheel. The council wants this done quickly.
What is wrong with the mill
The structure dates from the late 18th century. It was restored in the late 19th century and again in the 1970s, but further work is now needed on critical elements.
Chris Langton, chair of the Friends of Bidston Hill, was specific about the damage. He said the roof, which is all wood, needs work throughout. Pigeons have got in and caused a lot of damage, and a lot of wet is getting inside and keeping the walls damp. He described extensive work and said several hundreds of thousands of pounds were likely to be needed.
The mill is still used for guided tours run by the friends' group.
A listing that worries the friends' group
Langton took a more mixed view. He acknowledged the positives the list may bring. Even so, he said he was "deeply concerned" that the windmill, one of Birkenhead's most recognisable and historically important landmarks, had reached the point where it had to go on the register.
The heads of Historic England put the register in a wider frame. Co-chief executives Claudia Kenyatta and Emma Squire said historic buildings and places shape how people see the area they live in and help form the identity of local communities.
In their view, the best protection for buildings is to give them a working use that brings local people together and gives them something to enjoy. Heritage Minister Baroness Twycross said the register helps pick out the historic places that need backing.
Source: BBC News