By Brian Claridge Welcome to dome the pleasure
Windmill destroyed during Victoria’s jubilee celebrations rises from the ashes – complete with a spectacular new roof
WHEN Queen Victoria celebrated 50 years on the throne back in 1887, the joyous occasion was marked by the lighting of beacons around the country.
But one such celebration near the Staffordshire village of Croxton turned to disaster. Fireworks were launched from its landmark windmill to signal that beacons around the area should be lit – but sparks from the two rockets started a fire inside the building, causing much of it to burn to the ground.
While the 18th Century brick-built windmill was never able to fully function again, fortunately it has had another lease of life as a home and a B&B, and it is now on the market for £625,000.
Three years after the blaze, the sails were dismantled by a local joiner for safety reasons, in front of a crowd that had gathered to watch.
In the 1930s the remaining tower was used to hold scrap and rubbish, but this was removed by the Home Guard during the Second World War and they used the tower as a lookout post. From here, they were able to see the skies lit up from the bombing of Liverpool docks and Coventry.
The Windmill, which is Grade II listed and for sale through Savills, was converted for residential use only 11 years ago. The current owners, Chris and Helen Hallam, came across it in 2007 when they were house-hunting.
‘We spotted The Windmill in the property section of a national newspaper and fell in love with it,’ says Chris. Although it had already been converted by the previous occupants, he says the property still needed a lot of work doing to it – and among the alterations they made was installing a magnificent dome roof.
‘We used a company in the Midlands which specialises in building roofs for mosques in the Middle East, and they did a fantastic job,’ says Chris. ‘It looks as if it’s made of lead. However, it’s actually a glass-reinforced plastic compound – the same material they use to make the hulls of yachts.’
KEEN musician Chris, who plays the guitar in his spare time, decided to decorate the master bedroom with music sheets, which he bought from charity shops, instead of using wallpaper.
Chris used to run his own business supplying catering equipment to bars, restaurants and hotels. He sold the business in 2011 for health reasons and now works from home. The couple have turned some of the windmill into a successful B&B business, which they advertise through the online holiday rentals site Airbnb.
‘We have guests from all over the world coming to stay with us – no doubt they are attracted by the novelty of staying in an 18th Century windmill for a couple of nights, which makes a change from staying in a hotel or a more traditional B&B,’ says Chris. ‘Running a B&B is a great way of meeting people, which I enjoy. After I sold my catering business, I missed the social interaction.’
The dining room is The Windmill’s focal point. Also on the ground floor is the kitchen, which is open-plan and fitted with a range of countrystyle units, hardwood work surfaces, integrated appliances and a breakfast bar.
The oak staircase leads to the drawing room on the first floor, which has panoramic views of the Staffordshire countryside. French doors open from it on to a large terrace. There are also three bedrooms and three bathrooms, including a wet room.
The 1777-built property’s stunning views of the surrounding countryside from the bedrooms are definitely a selling feature.
‘On a clear day you can see seven counties – Staffordshire, Shropshire, Cheshire, West Midlands, Herefordshire, Derbyshire and Clywd in Wales,’ says Chris.
The third-of-an-acre garden is mostly lawn but includes a vegetable garden and summerhouse.
The Windmill is just over three miles from the town of Eccleshall, which has a selection of shops, restaurants and pubs, and 11 miles from Stafford railway station, which is on the West Coast main line. It is also not far from the M6.
The Hallams, who have just turned 60, are keen to move south in order to be closer to their family. ‘We will miss The Windmill, as we have enjoyed living here, and the locals are really friendly,’ says Chris.