Thursday 25/9/25 Our main jobs today were clearing up after the open days, as we rushed to put everything away on Sunday as it started to rain. See the HOD page for pictures and details of the event.
In the visitor centre we stacked the feature signs under Howard’s table. The 10 year anniversary board was taken off the large table which was put back outside, we’ll take the pictures off the board and put them in a display book to save space.
We put the mill workers display board back against Howard’s table as we’ll use this at a group visit next month, then put them in a display book. We put the chairs back indoors and I put the gazebo and camping table in the loft.
The top bolt on the outer door was not locking, so Eddie made and fitted a block for the bolt to lock into. The front bolt on the main entrance door would not line up with the keeper, so we drilled out the bolt holes and lowered it slightly which has fixed it.
I put the wooden cover back on the cistern, it was removed at the open days for visitors to see inside, the cover stops wildlife falling into the water. I also locked the water wheel with a padlock and chain for safety.
Anne Marie walked down at lunch time, we discussed the open days and looked round the gardens, cyclamen are flowering on the river bank and cosmos are still flowering, one was falling over so I tied it to the building with garden wire. We saw grey wagtails flying around the river and mill, and buzzards were overhead.
Two fence posts fell over at the open days, so Eddie cut a plank of wood in half to make bases which we fitted to the posts, these are weighed down with bricks to hold them in place. Fences keep visitors away from the fragile cistern top and damaged walls.
We rolled up the pump hose used to turn the water wheel, we squeezed water out so it doesn’t freeze and damage the hose, then put the rolled up hose in the tunnel.
Eddie made and fitted a new post for the cycle rack sign, he sharpened the post end with an axe and hammered it in the ground. The sign lets cyclists know they can borrow puncture repair kits and tools. The cycle rack was used at the open days.
One of Beryl’s many bird nest boxes in her garden had fallen from a tree, so we took back tools and I refitted it by standing in the back of the Gator truck.
Tuesday 30/9/25 Jan and I walked the circular route from our house in Narborough past the bone mill, we had our lunch on the bench which Eddie and I repaired recently, we saw the Cosmos were still flowering. I looked to see if there was any fire wood from the tree which Fred cut down between the mill and farm bridge but there was only brash, although there are fallen branches opposite the mill which we can use.
Towards the end of the walk just before the footpath joins Meadow Road, I could see our wagon and water wheel half a mile away across the fields, this is only visible since trees opposite the mill behind the bench were cut down by the farmer this year.
Thursday 2/10/25 We saw a great white egret and buzzard flying over the river on our journey to the mill. Eddie took the mower as our main job today was the hay cut on the wildflower meadow where we cut down all the growth.
Eddie started cutting the meadow and I took over half way. Eddie took away the edge marker posts and insect hotels to make it easier to cut everywhere. I was able to cut the far end of the meadow as its now level where we filled in the sloping area.
Once again our mower did a good job of cutting down the tall growth, even though it was quite damp. Eddie’s idea of using a long screwdriver to clear the clogged cutters worked well, although we only had to do this a few times.
Anne Marie weeded the cosmos in front of the building, the garden where the dianthus is still flowering and the river bank where cyclamen are in flower. Anne Marie pulled bindweed and nettles away from the cyclamen so it can get some light and be seen.
Marigolds are still in flower next to the trench in the meadow, so I avoided cutting them as well as foxgloves on the edge of the meadow. Eddie used loppers to cut down thick stems which the mower knocked over and left behind, then he put back the insect hotels. One of them had a broken leg so we took it back and made a replacement leg which we fitted, then staked it back down in the meadow.
Emma bought us a new sack of bird seed which Eddie emptied into our tubs and I filled the bird feeders. We had lunch outside and saw blue tits, great tits and a robin feeding.
Eddie cut the lawns while I strimmed the edges of the meadow. Eddie then sharpened the posts and we hammered them back in to mark the edge of the meadow. Due to poor flowering this year caused by the drought, we need to change our plans in future, see the maintenance page for how we plan to do this.
Graham Bartlett
Interactive Plan Activity Volunteer Previous Projects Open Days
