Overview
- Heage, between Ripley and Belper and about 30 minutes from Derby, is home to the UK’s only six-sailed stone tower windmill.
- The mill was begun in 1791, worked until damage in 1919, gained listed status in 1965 and had major structural beam repairs in 2003.
- Volunteers run hands-on tours and demonstrations at the windmill, with visitors praising the experience on TripAdvisor and even taking home flour milled on site.
- The village’s three pubs—the Eagle Tavern, the Black Boy and the Spanker Inn—are within walking distance and serve as community hubs, with the Spanker set to welcome new owners.
- Nearby Morley Park preserves industrial heritage with two Grade II-listed stone furnaces restored in 1986 and located close to the A38.