Saintfield Community Association receives over £900,000 to make heritage park dream into reality

The three acre site behind Saintfield Community Centre is home to an early 19th century windmill tower, flour mill and millers cottage that are of heritage importance in the area, and the park design includes work to stabilise these key buildings and make them safe to enter.

The park is now expected to become a reality before the end of 2025.

The final design for the park takes into account feedback from public consultations over the past few years and so provides access for all abilities from the community centre car park to the higher ground in the park, including two interpretation panels and viewing points for the windmill and railway track bed.

Seats for relaxation and informal meeting places will be placed in the centre of the park and the lower area includes paths to access the river. There is also an area for outdoor classes for young people to learn about the environment.

The old railway track bed is being maintained as a wildlife corridor and a wetland area will be created to improve the biodiversity of the site. Nesting boxes for birds and bats will be added to the buildings and trees and there will be plantings for pollinators.

With enough volunteer interest, patches of cereals such as those grown and milled in wind and water mills two hundred years ago will be planted and conservation varieties of fruit trees could be planted.

The project will include recruiting a Community Engagement and Social Media Officer, who will implement a programme of activities to engage people of all ages in the new park. Some volunteers will also be trained as guides for visitors to the park and the wider Saintfield area.

Martyn Todd, the project team leader said: “It is great that all the work over the last 10 years should come to fruition by the end of 2025.

"This will provide an excellent community park, with Saintfield’s industrial heritage highlighted, for local people and visitors to enjoy, for generations to come.

“I would like to thank all those involved - the SCA park project team, SCA board members, the consultant team and Rowallane councillors for their continuing support. And, especially, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and David Moffett, without whom this project could not have happened.”

Dr Paul Mullan, The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s Northern Ireland Director said: “We are delighted to support Saintfield Community Association to create the area’s first free-to-access community park, with its fascinating industrial heritage at its heart.”

The site for the park contains the only surviving buildings of an industrial complex from the 18th and 19th centuries.

The windmill was built in 1803 and operated until 1839, when the sails were blown off in The Big Wind and never repaired.

It is a testament to the high-quality work of the stone masons that the tower is in such good condition today.