Two Mills, One Living Landscape
This May, two of Cambridgeshire’s most distinctive heritage sites reopen their doors.
Across National Mills Weekend, 9–10 May, Bourn Windmill and Hinxton Watermill mark the beginning of their 2026 open season, inviting visitors to step inside these working structures.
At Bourn Windmill, one of the oldest surviving post mills in England, everything is driven by air. The height of the sails and the movement of timber and gears reflect a world powered by changing weather and physical labour.
At Hinxton Watermill, the energy is steadier. Set beside the river, the turning wheel is shaped by the continuous flow of water. The experience is quieter, but no less powerful, a reminder of how closely daily life once followed the rhythms of the natural world.
More than preserved buildings
Both sites are cared for by Cambridge Past, Present & Future as part of a wider commitment to protecting the region’s heritage and green spaces.
These mills are not static exhibits. They are working reminders of how communities sustained themselves, through skill, resilience, and a constant negotiation with the elements.
To stand inside them is to feel that reality more directly, the scale, the movement, and the ingenuity required to make it all work.
Opening weekend: 9–10 May
National Mills Weekend offers the ideal introduction, with both sites opening at the start of the season.
- Bourn Windmill
- Sat 9 May, 2pm – 4.30pm
- Sun 10 May, 11am – 1.30pm, 2pm – 4.30pm
- Hinxton Watermill
- Sun 10 May, 2.30pm – 5pm (last entry 4.30pm)
Visit one, or experience both across the weekend, moving from wind-powered machinery at Bourn to the water-driven rhythm of Hinxton.
2026 Open Days
As the season unfolds, both mills continue to open on selected Sundays through to autumn.
Bourn Windmill
- Sat 9 May, 2pm – 4.30pm
- Sun 10 May, 11am – 1.30pm, 2pm – 4.30pm
- Sun 21 June, 2pm – 4.30pm
- Sun 19 July, 2pm – 4.30pm
- Sun 23 August, 2pm – 4.30pm
- Sun 13 September, 2pm – 4.30pm
Hinxton Watermill
- Sun 10 May, 2.30pm – 5pm
- Sun 7 June, 2.30pm – 5pm
- Sun 5 July, 2.30pm – 5pm
- Sun 2 August, 2.30pm – 5pm
- Sun 6 September, 2.30pm – 5pm
- Sun 4 October, 2.30pm – 5pm
Visitors can explore inside the mills, learn about traditional processes, and gain a deeper understanding of how these structures once supported everyday life.
More information and booking details:
https://cambridgeppf.org/bourn-windmill
Private tours are also available via enquiries@cambridgeppf.org
A different way of seeing Cambridge
Cambridge is often understood through its architecture and academic history. But beyond that lies another story, shaped by land, weather, and work.
These mills offer a way into that story.
This season, the invitation is simple: come inside, and see how it worked.
