Red List Comment Submission

Commenting on: Millwrighting

Section one - About you

Section two - Description of the craft

If you are commenting on an existing craft, please select it here and skip the next two questions

Please enter the name of the craft you would like us to add here.

If this is a new craft type please select the most suitable category

Please identify country, region, county or town

Please identify country, region, county or town

Please identify an era/century/approximate historic period.

Heritage Crafts uses a system of four categories of risk to assess the viability of heritage crafts. A heritage craft is considered to be viable if there are sufficient craftspeople to transmit the craft skills to the next generation. For more information on definitions see http://heritagecrafts.org.uk/redlist/categories-of-risk/

Section three - Current numbers of those practising the craft in the UK

People earning their main craft income from this craft (selling, commissions, conservation/ restoration and/or teaching).

People practicing this craft commercially (selling, commissions, conservation/restoration and/or teaching) but as less than half of their income.

People acquiring skills in order to become a professional in this craft, they probably have to work under supervision even if they are earning money while training.

People whose knowledge and ability is at a level of the most skilled practitioners of this craft.

People who do not intend to practice this craft professionally or at the highest level.

Section four - Issues affecting the viability of the craft

Existing content:
  • Training and recruitment: there are a lack of apprenticeship schemes and no recognised qualification or standard for Millwrighting.
  • Business issues: There are issues with skills, raw materials, recruitment, and business viability due to material costs, premises and set up costs.
  • Business issues: Meeting Health and Safety requirements surrounding the work can be challenging and prohibitively expensive.
  • Loss of Skills: The number of skilled millwrights are in decline.  The work can be challenging and so recruitment and retention can be an issue.
  • Loss of Skills: Millwrighting is a composite of other professions including mechanical engineering/machinery, timber framing, built heritage conservation, watercourse management. food production etc. Very few  millwrights today will have the full complement of skills due to the wide range of different mills to be managed.
  • Loss of Skills and knowledge: A lack of knowledge of regional variations and techniques resulting in loss of heritage
  • Ageing workforce: Some of the very experienced Millwrights are nearing retirement with very few entering the profession and the skills are not being passed on
  • Market issues: There is a gradual decline in the number of wind and water mills in the UK which are capable of working. It is difficult for traditional mills to be commercially viable.
  • Lack of funding: The Heritage sector – and particularly mills – has been badly damaged by the “get a big grant, carry out extensive work, consider only minimal maintenance; repeat every 20 – 25 years” approach. Due to the lack of Millwrights there are a number of volunteer and Friends groups who carry out maintenance tasks. The volunteer millwrights are vital in that they cover for the lack of general funding for millwrighting, and at those mills where they have long term responsibility they provide important continuity, encouraging the improvement of millwrighting standards & of maintenance.
  • Sector support: There is no guild/union or recognised qualification

e.g. lack of qualifications, funding for training etc.

If yes, please describe the issues below

e.g. lack of demand for products/skills etc.

If yes, please describe the issues below

Tick the box if there are difficulties with the supply of raw materials, allied materials or tools

If yes, please describe the issues below

i.e. issues around running any small business, not just crafts

If yes, please describe the issues below

Is the main workforce made up of people who are approaching retirement age?

If yes, please describe the issues below

e.g. legal restrictions on materials, health and safety etc.

If yes, please describe the issues below

e.g. Brexit, Covid-19, conflict

If yes, please describe the issues below

Please describe any other issues

Section five - Current Initiatives to preserve craft skills

Please describe any UK projects or schemes

Section six - Main players in the craft – please tell us who you know about

Please list any known practitioners of this craft — add a row item for each person or business and complete the fields to the best of your knowledge. To get started click the `Add practitioner` button below.

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Add practitioner

Section seven - Optional additional information

It may include when and where the craft developed, how it has changed over time, etc.

e.g. festivals, religious celebrations, agricultural practices, music, dance etc.

e.g. religious, ethnic, social class. Please give an overview of the techniques involved in the craft.

This may involve different materials, techniques, styles or finished products.

e.g. books, websites etc.