Jill Windmill: Echoes of Sighișoara

Some 21 years ago, my wife and I took a trip to Romania. We were in the old town of Sighișoara one day, and wanted to visit the museum in the Clock Tower. Unfortunately it was a Monday, and as we were to discover, most museums and similar attractions were (and I think still are) closed on Mondays. Not knowing this at the time, we eagerly strolled up to the open door of the clock tower, where we found a woman in a housecoat sitting at a table just inside the doorway, who informed us (in Romanian)  that the museum was closed on Mondays. We were amused at the idea of her spending a whole shift every Monday just sitting in the doorway telling would-be visitors that they couldn't be let in.

Well, around lunchtime today, I took a drive up to the windmills at Clayton, fully expecting Jill Mill to be open. Instead, I was greeted by this formidable barrier, and the amusing sight of a man sitting in the open doorway of the mill gazing out at the view!

I called across to him and asked him what the problem was. He replied in a friendly manner that their insurers insisted on two volunteers being on duty at all times when members of the public were allowed into the mill, and he was the only volunteer around at the time. He said I was quite welcome to cross the rope barrier and enter the mill if I was willing not to be covered by the Society's Public Liability Insurance!

Having seen inside the mill already on the August bank holiday last year, I declined his offer on this occasion.