Following the death of Steve Temple in January, a new group tasked with caring for this much loved village landmark and honouring Steve’s legacy into the future is being led by long-time family friend Amy Seaman. Val Robson takes up the story.
Steve and Pippa Temple bought Impington Windmill in 1999 and over the past 25 years have transformed the entire property into something remarkable.
At the time, their plan was simply to find a home with a larger garden for Pippa and that was close to Steve’s work at the Science Park. A windmill was never part of the brief.
Steve, an engineer and inventor by profession, always researched things thoroughly so set about learning all he could about their windmill and mills in general. His research soon turned into a passion and he decided to restore the mill to its former glory. That commitment came with trade-offs. Steve was working and now devoting a lot of time and energy to the windmill, so had to set aside some of his other hobbies and passions, including his love of flying.
As he grew into the role of millwright, overseeing extensive restoration work such as installing new stocks, sails, and shutters he was supported by a dedicated group of volunteers. Among them was a young neighbour, Amy Seaman, who first began helping when she was just nine years old.
Amy looks back fondly on those years and still regularly travels from her home in the North East to support open days and ongoing work at the mill.
She shares, “the garden is such a treasure with the oldest part dating back to the 16th century. If you are interested in history, engineering, buildings, architecture or gardens – there’s something for everybody here. To me, the whole thing is a catalyst of curiosity.”
A few months ago, after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis, Steve made a final, deeply personal request. He asked Amy to help safeguard the future of the mill.
Recalling their conversation, Amy said: “Steve asked me if I would take care of the mill for as long as Pippa continues to live here. I am in no way qualified to do so – but I said yes.”
Friends of Impington Windmill
Amy is now bringing together a new volunteer group – the Friends of Impington Windmill – to continue Steve’s work and ensure the site thrives.
There are several ways in which the community can get involved:
Preserve the Past: Ongoing maintenance is essential to preserve the mill, and recent issues — including problems with the windmill cap not turning as it should — mean expert advice from a professional millwright is being sought. Alongside this, a team of practical volunteers is needed to assist with day-to-day maintenance and repairs.
Celebrate the present: There are also opportunities to help bring the site to life for visitors. Open days have been a cherished part of the village calendar for over 20 years, and there is strong enthusiasm to continue welcoming visitors, sharing the mill’s history and engineering, and maintaining its place as a landmark in our community. It is hoped a team of volunteers can be gathered who can help with tours and open days.
Looking ahead: The hope is that the site could grow beyond one or two open days a year and become a hub for village events – hosting everything from art exhibitions to school groups. A long-term ambition would be to restore the mill to full working order and grinding, making it one of only a small handful of fully operational smock mills in the world.
Amy has already begun rallying support. A successful ‘Windmill Clean-up’ day on Easter Monday saw volunteers come together to clean the mill and tidy and organise the workshops. The shutters are already on the lawn, with sails to follow, ready for repainting as part of their regular four-year maintenance cycle.
Pippa’s Garden
While Steve focused much of his energy on the mill, Pippa has quietly transformed the garden into an equally extraordinary space.
What was once overgrown wilderness is now a series of distinct and beautifully designed areas, including an orchard, seasonal gardens, bog gardens, peaceful seating spots for different times of day and a developing stumpery.
Initially thought to be around one acre, the garden revealed itself to be closer to one and a half acres after years of clearing brambles and dense undergrowth. The scale of its transformation over 25 years has been striking, earning a feature on Gardener’s World last August, which also highlighted Steve’s work on the mill and some of his innovative ideas in the garden.
Pippa has shared the garden with the public for many years. It was part of the first Histon and Impington Open Gardens events in 2007, 2009 and 2011 — when she also served on the organising committee — and is now included in the National Garden Scheme, which opens exceptional gardens to the public in support of nursing and health charities.
Steve’s many projects
Steve’s curiosity and creativity extended far beyond the windmill.
Having studied engineering at St John’s College, Oxford, he chose not to follow the conventional corporate path as suggested by the university careers service. A friend told him of a new engineering company in Cambridge called Cambridge Consultants that might suit him. He was called for interview but when he phoned some time later to ask the outcome no one could remember what had been decided so they gave him a probationary contract for six months. He was one of their first employees and worked there for around two decades.
He later co-founded Xaar, a Cambridge-based inkjet printing company using innovative technology. After retiring in 2007, Steve remained very active including at the Judge Institute and some appearances as a special witness in patent cases.
Steve’s last garden design – The Japanese Garden
Steve made over thirty business trips to Japan with Xaar – a country he came to love.
As he and Pippa came to the last section of their garden to be recovered from wilderness he was keen to create a Japanese garden. This area is now close to completion and is also very fittingly a resting place for Steve’s ashes with a millstone and memorial plaque following his death in January this year.
Open Weekend 9-10 May
After a two year break, the community will once again have the chance to visit both the mill and garden. They will be open on Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 May, from 10am to 4pm, as part of National Mills Weekend.
Guided mill tours will run throughout the day, offering visitors the chance to climb inside the mill and discover how it works. The last event in 2024 attracted over 400 visitors.
If you have questions, ideas, or would like to get involved, please contact Amy Seaman at impington.windmill@gmail.com. Alternatively, sign up to the mailing list here for all the latest news and events.
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I am planning to visit om May 9th and have some questions. I am interested in both the windmill and the japanese garden. Unfortunately I have some disabilities(tremors and balance) and now use a rollator walking frame so I will not be able to go inside the windmill. My walking is quite limited, so what are the parking arrangements? Will the sails be on the windmill on May 9th?