It's been a working mill, an award-winning hotel, a family home and even appeared in Elizabeth Taylor's 1949 film Conspirator but now Cley Windmill is up for sale – for only the second time in a century.
It is being sold for a price on application with Strutt & Parker and is described by Tom Goodley, director of the Norfolk agency, as a true local icon.
The new owner will become a custodian of the mill," he says, "but it really belongs to Norfolk. If you were to ask someone to pick a building that represents north Norfolk, it would be this. There's nothing else like it, even if you go further along the coast."
The five-storey windmill is Grade II listed and of a Georgian design, with an imposing red brick tower and white-painted timber cap. Of particular interest is the main shaft and wheel, which is still in place at the top of the tower, and a balcony on the second storey which offers unrivalled views over the surrounding landscape.
READ MORE: A watermill restored by a Norfolk TV presenter has gone up for saleThe cap, wooden sails, fantail and gallery have all been restored by the current owners, Julian and Carolyn Godlee, who have established the property as a successful and award-winning guest house and restaurant.
As a result, there is a predictable income for a buyer who wishes to continue the existing business - but one of the biggest attractions, says Tom, is its flexibility. "If someone said that they wanted to live in a windmill, they could."
Inside, the extensive ground-floor accommodation offers an inviting sitting room and dining room which, together with the secondary reception rooms, work as either bedrooms or further family accommodation. There is also an extensive kitchen/breakfast room at the rear of the windmill, as well as a store-room and three cloakrooms.
The bedroom suites have been aptly named after their original use in the mill, which ceased operation in 1921, after the Great War. The character in each of these suites varies widely, from cosy round chambers to well-proportioned, Georgian style rooms, with each enjoying access to their own bathrooms. The Wheel Room takes up the entire third floor and has access to a wonderful circular bathroom on the floor above.
Outside, there are four outbuildings which include a mixture of external ensuite bedrooms and self-contained accommodation. The grounds extend to approximately half an acre in total, in which there is also an office and three large summerhouses.
READ MORE: Famous Norfolk landmark goes up for saleThe area surrounding Cley Windmill is an internationally renowned bird sanctuary and, in 2018, it was named Sir David Attenborough's top UK wildlife hotspot. The village itself is an attractive and prosperous coastal village, with a wide variety of charming houses and well-served by local amenities including two public houses, a smoke house, delicatessen and two art galleries.
For more information about this property, please contact Strutt & Parker on 01603 617431.
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