Windmill Land - Lytham Traditional Cache

Windmill Land is a name coined by Allen Clarke for the Fylde and Over Wyre. His love affair with windmills started from his first glimpse of one at Treales near Preston, from a train carriage window, on a cheap day trip for poor children, organised by a mission in Bolton around 1870.
More information at the final bonus cache GC1RD59 - Windmill Land - Weeton (Bonus)

There were at one time over 40 windmills, watermills and post (peg) mills in the Fylde and Over Wyre. Now there are only 10 left, this series of caches takes you on a trip around them and points to a final cache hidden at the location of an eleventh.

Lytham Windmill was built on what is now Lytham Green in 1805, it was worked until 1919 when a fire destroyed most of the machinery. Rebuilt and renovated several times since, the Mill now houses a permanent exhibition of the history of the Mill and of Bread-making; tableaux of Lytham life during the last 100 years, various memorabilia and models. Open to visitors, free admission.

Windmills have featured in Lytham’s history for hundreds of years. In 1805 Richard Cookson sought and obtained a lease from the Squire for a plot of land on which to build a ‘windy milne’.
By the 1840s, Lytham was fast developing as a health resort and substantial properties were being erected on the seafront. The noise from the windmill and the smoke from the kiln furnace were seen as a nuisance by the new residents.
On the 2nd January 1919, a tremendous gale turned the sales despite the powerful brake and sparks ignited the woodwork. The Windmill was quickly ravaged by fire, the interior being entirely gutted.
The Windmill remained derelict until 1921, when it was given by the Squire to the Lytham Urban District Council.
In 1989, the Windmill was restored by Fylde Borough Council and opened to the public. Lytham Windmill is run in partnership with Fylde Borough Council and Lytham Heritage Group.