1950s watermill survey

Survey forms giving brief information on watermills in the UK, arranged by county. Press cuttings, photographs and other items filed with the survey forms.

In 1929, following an article in the Daily Mail about Britain's disappearing windmills, the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) launched a campaign to survey and protect England's windmills. The work was led by pioneering mill expert Rex Wailes, and soon became separate Windmill Section of the SPAB. In 1946 this became the Wind and Watermill Section, later referred to simply as the Mills Section. It still continues working to save England's historic mills today.

This material may be consulted free of charge at the Mills Archive; please email visitors@millsarchive.org to arrange an appointment.

In 1929, following an article in the Daily Mail about Britain's disappearing windmills, the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB) launched a campaign to survey and protect England's windmills. The work was led by pioneering mill expert Rex Wailes, and soon became separate Windmill Section of the SPAB. In 1946 this became the Wind and Watermill Section, later referred to simply as the Mills Section. It still continues working to save England's historic mills today.

Catalogued to subseries level by Nathanael Hodge, August 2016

The watermill survey was carried out in the mid twentieth century when the Windmill Section of the SPAB became the Wind and Watermill Section.
The files were retained by the SPAB. Some were transferred to the Mills Archive with the SPAB collection in 2003. Others were retained in the basement at Spital Square with the other mill files (SPAB-BAS) and transferred to the Mills Archive with these in October 2015. The files have now been reassembled in alphabetical order. Certain counties are missing.

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