An historic 19th-century windmill that's been converted into a three-bedroom home in Charing, UK, is on the market for £995,000 take a look inside
Amanda Goh
- A historic windmill in Charing, UK, that's been converted into a home is for sale for £995,000, or $1.15 million.
- Known as Charing Windmill or Field Mill, the structure was built in the 19th century and was in use until 1891.
If you always wanted to live in a unique property, how about a 19th-century windmill in the village of Charing in Ashford, UK? It's on the market for £995,000.
Known as Charing Windmill or Field Mill, the structure was built in the early 1800s and was in use until 1891, listing agent Aaron Turner from Foundation Property told Insider. However, it's unclear when exactly it was converted into a home, he added.
Set on 0.3 acres, the windmill is four stories high and comes with over 1,400 square feet of living space, per the listing.
"I think it created flour and things like that," homeowner Joanne Rogers told Insider. "It's called a smock windmill because it's in the shape of a dress."
Numerous original features of the windmill have been preserved, including the fantail as well as the cogs and gears that were used to turn the sails.
This is the first time that her family is putting the property up for sale since they purchased it in 2002, Rogers said.
"We've owned it for 20 years, since 2002 when we first moved to Ashford. I've not actually lived in it, but my family members have, including my parents, my brother, and my nephew," she said. "I live in the house next door, so I'm a stone's throw away."
Detached properties in Charing sold at an average price of £730,294 over the last year, per data from real-estate platform Rightmove.
There are currently 14 properties for sale in the area, with prices that range from £245,000 to £1.79 million, per real-estate platform On the Market. Charing Windmill, with its £995,000 price tag, is on the higher end of the spectrum.
The original sails were removed in 1917 and the ones on the house now were installed by the previous owner in the 90s, Rogers said.
Although a few family members have lived in the windmill, Rogers says that they moved to other places as their families have grown.
"We would've liked to have kept the windmill and potentially have it as an Airbnb," Rogers said. "But we lost our mum back in January 2021, and with inheritance tax and things like that, we have to do something to be able to pay that."
While there are other windmills in the greater Ashford area, this is the only windmill in Charing — and it's also one that's been lived in, Rogers said.
Despite the history of the property as a residential dwelling, future owners have the option to turn it into a vacation rental.
"If they go down the right channels and speak to the right people, that's definitely something they can look into," Rogers said. "There's Willesborough Windmill in Ashford, and they do wedding venues, tea rooms, and things like that too."
The ideal buyer for the property would be someone with a love of history and unique features, Turner added.
The oak balcony that wraps around the entire windmill was recently restored, and it offers impressive views of the surrounding landscape.
The house has been well-maintained and it's in move-in condition — no major renovations required, Rogers said.
"Although if people move in somewhere, they always end up doing it to their own tastes anyway," she added.
There are three bedrooms in the windmill, but the one on the third floor is the most unique as it has a giant exposed cog on its ceiling.
"The room that makes people go, 'Wow!' is the room where it's got the cogs," Rogers said. The window in this room is also the highest lookout point of the windmill, she added: "You can see for miles when you're up there, so it's pretty outstanding."
A little wooden staircase on the side leads to a small space further up the windmill that's currently being used as storage.
"My brother had boarded it up. That was going to be his son's games room, but he never got around to it," she said.
The windmill comes with a garage and a neighboring building that was used to store flour, Rogers said.
"That has got potential to be joined and changed into bedrooms or whatever, but it can never be sold as a separate dwelling. It's got to go with the windmill," she said.
The entire property is located at the end of a private driveway and is only nine miles away from the Ashford town center, per the listing.
"We're quite easygoing people, and we just want someone to move in there and love it like we loved it," she added.
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