Drinkstone Mills, Suffolk 🌍

The Drinkstone mills complex includes two windmills - a post mill and a smock mill. Milling continued commercially at the site till 1973, and for a period of 223 years upto 1997 was owned by the Clover family.

[1891 map] [Muggeridge photo - both mills 1939]

Post Mill

Drinkstone post mill, 14th Sept 2002

Suffolk Mills Group drawing

The post mill is the oldest building on the site, and is certainly the oldest windmill in Suffolk. However, recent dating research suggests it may even be the oldest windmill in the country - tree ring dating showing that the main post was felled in the winter of 1586-8, and some other timbers date from 1543. [details].

In 1970 the mill was used as a key location in the Dad's Army episode "Don't forget the Diver", where as these stills show, the sails were still very much in use! See also the plot synopsis.

[article] [photo] [photo] [huge photo] [line drawing] [photo - with incorrect text]
[Muggeridge Collection - Suffolk] [Muggeridge photo 1933] [Muggeridge photo 1935] [Muggeridge photo 1939] [Muggeridge photo - windshaft 1939] [Muggeridge photo - Wilfred Clover 1939]

Smock mill

Drinkstone smock mill, 14th Sept 2002

The smock mill is a comparatively new addition to the site, being built around 1790 on the remains of a horse mill. The base still houses the millstones that were most recently used to produce animal feedstuffs, powered by the 1929 Ruston oil engine housed in the engine house alongside.

[photo] [photo] [Muggeridge Collection - Suffolk]

Last updated 16/09/2025