Billingford Windmill

Billingford Windmill is a five-story brick tower mill in Norfolk, England, with a boat-shaped cap and four double patent sails driven by a cast iron windshaft. Inside, the mill contains three pairs of millstones, with one set powered by an engine for backup operation.

This mill was built in 1860 to replace an earlier post mill that was destroyed by storms in 1859, and it operated as Norfolk's last commercial wind-powered mill until 1956. After that year, the building transitioned from industrial use to a protected heritage site.

This mill represents a link to Norfolk's milling heritage that people in the region still value and protect through active conservation efforts. Today, educational programs and demonstrations here help visitors understand how this work shaped local life and traditions.

The mill opens to visitors on select Sundays and Bank Holidays, though you can also arrange group visits through the Norfolk Windmills Trust at other times. Plan ahead since opening times are limited and groups need coordination to ensure a good experience.

Although Norfolk has many older mills from centuries past, this tower was the last one to grind grain using wind as its main power source before commercial operation ended. The addition of a backup engine shows how millers of that era adapted when wind power alone became unreliable.

GPS coordinates: 52.36232,1.18116

Latest update: December 14, 2025 11:03