For the next couple of weeks Gabby Rapson, Portia Askew and Graham Kenlin are to help out at this years community and schools' excavation at Brixton Windmill.

The excavation is run by Lesley Smith ('Discovering Archaeology') and is supported by Lambeth Council, the Friends of Brixton Windmill and English Heritage. A previous season of work took place in September last year.

The wider aims of the project are to raise awareness within the local community of the history of the windmill, and of its importance to local heritage; to raise the profile of the Friends of Windmill Gardens campaign to restore the windmill, build an education centre and develop the Windmill Gardens site; to increase the local community’s sense of ownership of their archaeology/heritage; and to raise awareness of the process and methodology of archaeological investigation.

Brixton windmill was built in 1816 and was leased in 1817 by John Ashby. John, his sons and grandson were millers producing stone-ground wholemeal flour. The Ashby family operated the mill – which became known as ‘Ashby's Mill’ – for the whole of its working life.

The mill is owned today by Lambeth Borough Council. At present, besides grassed open space and trees, Windmill Gardens has a children's playground and a One O'clock Club.

Post-medieval Excavation Community project