Woodbridge
Tide Mill
Woodbridge Tide Mill was successful in receiving a
grant from the Heritage Lottery fund to restore and preserve this
iconic Suffolk landmark.
The Tide Mill represents over 800 years of Suffolk’s heritage. The
tide mill has gradually been falling into disrepair, despite the
efforts of a number of enthusiastic trustees, it was clear that a
large financial injection was required to not only restore the
former mill, but also to preserve and interpret this valuable piece
of Suffolk’s industrial heritage.
Suffolk County Council through our Rural Development Managers
supported the development of the project as well as support in
writing and securing 2 major investments, one from the Suffolk
Environmental Trust and the larger investment from the Heritage
Lottery Fund.
The works include protecting the foundations of the mill with a
new concrete breakwater, and the creation of a new wheelhouse to
provide more space for maintenance and viewing.
Interactive models, computer generated graphics, games and puzzles
will offer interest and enjoyment to all ages and give ‘hands on’
experience in how the mill and its machinery works.
The conservation work will be supplemented by practical
demonstrations to be offered in flour milling. Displays, exhibition
boards, information leaflets and audio-visual aids will describe
the history of the mill, the lives and working conditions of
millers and the impact on the local community, highlighting the
connection between tidal power and other sources of sustainable
energy in a reduced carbon economy.
The cost of the total project is £1,227,000.
Landguard Habitat Enhancement
The Landguard Habitat Enhancement Project was set up by the
Landguard Partnership, a partnership of public, private and
voluntary sector organsiations. They set about to protect the area
around Landguard fort in Felixstowe as well as increasing visitor
access to the site.
The Local Nature Reserve (LNR) at Landguard Point falls within a
SSSI designated site and the site comprises the rare coastal
habitat of vegetated shingle and also has a freshwater pond which
contains the nationally scarce UK BAP species Divided sedge Carex
divisa.
The project has 3 aims:
a) To extend the LNR boundaries to match SSSI boundaries to
increase protection of the site and make management simpler and
more effective.
b) To enhance wetland habitat for Divided sedge.
c) To protect UK BAP Priority habitat, coastal vegetated shingle
from visitor damage and improve signage through the installation of
a visitor board walk.
The project was successful in securing both a grant from the
County Councils Corporate Regeneration Fund and money from the SITA
Trust Enhancing Nature programme.
The cost of the project is
£120,000.