There is something rather wonderful about a windmill. Gazing down on us with their circular towers, some with their sails intact, inviting us to climb and admire the view. It is no wonder that these elegant towers are becoming increasingly popular for those looking for a holiday with a difference!
On this page we have put together our top five list of the very best British windmills offering accommodation. These include a mixture of exclusive use properties and windmill B&B’s.
1. The Windmill, Wendover, near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire
Sleeps 10. Best for a family get-together.
Built between 1796 and 1804, this imposing tower used to mill grain until the early 1900’s (where it was once adorned with its very own sails!). Today this grade II listed building is a wonderful holiday home offering stunning views over the Chiltern Hills, with spacious family accommodation set over 5 octagonal shaped floors. Reputed to be the second largest windmill in England, the structure is said to contain 500 tonnes of bricks.
2. The Old Mill Bed and Breakfast
Yarm, Teeside TS15 9J. Best for adults.
Built in the mid 18th century and retaining many of its original features, the Old Mill has been converted to offer luxurious B&B accommodation. Located between the small North Yorkshire town of Yarm and Ingleby Barwick, it offers the ideal romantic get-away, or business hideaway. Guests are invited to enjoy the outdoor heated spa and free wireless broadband.
3. Melin Newydd Cottages – The Windmill, Tynlon, near Rhosneigr, Anglesey, Wales
Sleeps 4. Best for island views.
This stunning building has undergone a recent restoration and simply oozes charm and character. A wonderfully quirky place to stay, the windmill boasts a 3rd floor living room with balcony to make the most of the outstanding views. Set in the heart of Anglesey and surrounded by green fields, the current building dates from the early 19th century and was in daily use until damaged by a violent storm in the 1920s.
4. The Windmill, Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Best for a seaside escape.
This Grade II listed, 18th century windmill now stands in the centre of the Victorian seaside resort of Scarborough. Perfect for a holiday with a difference, the Windmill has to be one of the most unique and unusual B&B’s in town! Occupying a site that has seen a succession of windmills over the centuries, the current structure dates from 1784. Originally set on common land in open countryside, in 1880 a severe gale blew off the windmills sails killing an unsuspecting cow sheltering in its shed.
5. Rye Windmill, off Ferry Road, Rye, East Sussex, TN31 7DW.
Best for pets: dogs welcome in some rooms.
This Grade II listed, white smock windmill is one of Rye’s great landmarks. Two of the ten spacious en-suite rooms are situated in the windmill itself, which enjoys a riverside location just a few minutes’ walk from the town centre. The current four-storey mill occupies an historic site, where a windmill has stood since 1596. The standard design of a smock windmill comprises a sloping horizontally clad weatherboarded tower topped by a cap that allows the sails to be rotated into the wind.
