Margate Windmill Sails into the History Books with New Listed Status
Draper’s Windmill in Margate, Kent has been granted an upgrade to Grade II* listed status by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the advice of Historic England.
The timber-framed windmill on St Peter’s Footpath in Dane Valley had been Grade II listed since 1973, but its significance as a 19th-century smock mill with rare surviving internal machinery has now been formally recognised and its entry on the National Heritage List for England revised.
Its new Grade II* listed status puts the windmill in the same category as some of Thanet’s most significant historic buildings, including the 1930s Dreamland Cinema on Margate seafront and the Clock House at Ramsgate’s Royal Harbour.
Upgrading Draper's Windmill to Grade II* recognises the building as a particularly important survivor of Kent's rural past. It's unusual for a 19th-century windmill to survive this well, with much of its original machinery, and remain functional. The Grade II* listing reflects the increasing rarity of operational historic mills across England and celebrates this important and evocative part of Thanet's heritage.
Draper's Windmill was built in around 1843, probably by the millwright John Holman of Canterbury, to grind grain into flour.
It is the earliest, and only survivor, of three windmills that were built along St Peter’s Footpath during the 19th century.
A second smock mill known as ‘Little Draper’s Mill’ and a brick tower mill called ‘The Pumper’ fell out of use and were demolished by the early 20th century.
Alongside the mill is an engine house, workshop and cart shed which help tell the story of how the mill was powered over the years – by wind, steam and gas.
The mill has been fully restored to working condition thanks to the dedication of the Draper’s Windmill Trust in partnership with owners Kent County Council.
September 2025 marked the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Trust on 16 September 1965.
Draper’s Windmill is open to visitors and run as a museum.
We are delighted to have our windmill and its ancillary buildings recognised as having both intrinsic importance and interest. This new listing gives the whole site the status it deserves for now and the future. We hope that it will encourage even more people to visit us and experience this valuable asset to Margate itself.
Draper’s Windmill is a cherished part of Kent’s heritage, and its upgraded Grade II* listing is a fitting recognition of its historical and architectural significance. For over 60 years, the Draper’s Windmill Trust has worked tirelessly alongside Kent County Council to preserve this remarkable structure, and I’m proud of what this partnership has achieved. This listing not only honours the past, but it also helps secure the windmill’s future as a community asset for generations to come.
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