
The aftermath of Storm Ciara. Picture: Lincolnshire County Council
Lumley Lodge Freemasons have given £500 towards work to complete repairs to a unique feature in the Lincolnshire landscape – the 200-year-old Dobson’s Mill, the five-sail landmark windmill in Burgh-le-Marsh near Skegness.
It’s now almost six years since Storm Ciara tore the sails from the the Grade I listed mill in February 2020, since when The Burgh le Marsh Heritage Project has been working to restore its five ‘left-handed’ sails, unusually designed to turn clockwise.
They’re managing the project in partnership with Lincolnshire County Council with the aim of to preserving local history, including the town’s agricultural and industrial past.
Dobson’s Mill was the last in Lincolnshire to end commercial operation by wind, which happened in in 1964. After that it was acquired by the county council for preservation. It features five “left-handed” sails—a rare feature where sails rotate clockwise. The mill underwent a major restoration in 2014, with further repairs to the cap and sails following Storm Ciara in February 2020.
The Heritage Group manages the site, which is open to the public, featuring a Granary Tearoom and displays on local history.