Bursledon Windmill, built in 1814 near Southampton, is the only traditional five‑storey tower mill in England to keep its original timber machinery. It stands on the site of an earlier mill from 1767 and once ground flour for local farming and shipbuilding communities. 

The mill’s story is closely tied to Phoebe Langtry, an enterprising miller’s wife who secured land and funding to build the new brick tower mill “independent of any husband” – remarkable for the time. 

By the late 1800s, newer cast‑iron machinery made Bursledon’s wooden workings seem old‑fashioned and milling stopped. The sails were removed and the building fell into decay. 

From 1978, Hampshire Buildings Preservation Trust led a major rescue and restoration, later supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and local councils. The mill reopened to visitors in 1991 and became a much‑loved landmark. 

Today, after funding cuts and closure in 2024, the Trust is exploring new ways to secure the mill’s future, including digital projects and community support, so this unique piece of industrial heritage can be enjoyed for generations to come.