Blue Mill Woad Project

Since 2016, with the assistance of two local artists, we have been gathering local historic information on woad. What is woad? A photograph shows what a woad plant looks like. What is used for? It was used to make a blue dye. So why are we interested in woad? Local history reveals that many hundreds of acres of farmland were dedicated to the growing of woad, with a number of very productive local woad mills in operation in past times. Lincolnshire was one of the largest production centres for woad, and it is even suggested that the development of ports at Boston and Sutton Bridge owed much to the woad industry.

We have now incorporated a display on woad into our mill tours, where you can see, feel (and smell), the woad products, and other items associated with dyes and colours that can be obtained from plant sources. A small Woad Information Booklet is also available from our mill shop at a very reasonable price.