The Water Tower is a building in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England. It is understood that the building was constructed as a windmill in the mid-18th century by Joseph Lee of Warwick, described as Gentlemen and John Lamb of Warwick, Haberdasher. There is evidence of a sale in 1778 of the Mill as a going concern. The building continued to be used as a working windmill until 1854 when steam power was introduced. In 1885 the mill machinery was removed and the building converted into a water tower. This involved the doubling of the height of the brickwork and surmounting it with a 26,000-gallon iron tank. This became the town's first Waterworks and provided most of Kenilworth's water supply until 1939. The supply from this tank was in fact in use for auxiliary purposes until approximately 1964. In 1970 Kenilworth Urban District Council, anxious to ensure the preservation of such an important and historic landmark, offered it for sale by tender on condition that it should be sympathetically restored and converted for use as a private dwelling house. Plans submitted by the architect, Mr Edward Byron of Leamington Spa, on behalf of Lt Col Michael Wheat, were accepted and a conversion was commenced in late 1972 and completed in 1974. This imaginative conversion incorporates a new ground floor extension cleverly designed to harmonise with the character. The tower and the whole now forms a unique and comfortable home successfully linking the past with the present.
From the upper floors there are magnificent views over the ancient town of Kenilworth with its famous castle and the tower stands within a few hundred yards of the field known as Parliament Piece where it is reputed Simon De Montfort held the first English Parliament in 1264.
In 1975 the property won an Architectural Heritage Award from the United Kingdom Council for European Architectural Heritage. The award was signed by Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
A notable tale involving the windmill from the early 19th century is of a brave local, one Jerry O'Hea who showed his fortitude by grabbing a hold of one of the windmill sails. His arm got caught and he was carried round and round until the miller applied the brake.
Previous residents include businessman Stephen Drucker known chiefly for his role in running the Druckers Vienna Patisserie chain, and Gordon Cain a historic buildings surveyor who worked as project manager for the St George's Bloomsbury's restoration.
Kenilworth is a market town and civil parish in the Warwick District in Warwickshire, England, 6 miles (10 km) south-west of Coventry, 5 miles (8 km) north of Warwick and 90 miles (140 km) north-west of London. It lies on Finham Brook, a tributary of the River Sowe, which joins the River Avon 2 miles (3 km) north-east of the town. At the 2021 Census, the population was 22,538. The town is home to the ruins of Kenilworth Castle and Kenilworth Abbey.
Heckington Windmill is the only eight-sailed tower windmill still standing in the United Kingdom with its sails intact.
The Wilton Windmill is a five-floor brick tower mill, standing on a chalk ridge between the villages of Wilton and Great Bedwyn in the southern English county of Wiltshire.
Chesterton Windmill is a 17th-century cylindric stone tower windmill with an arched base, located outside the village of Chesterton, Warwickshire. It is a Grade I listed building and a striking landmark in south-east Warwickshire.
Denver Windmill is a Grade II* listed tower mill at Denver, Norfolk, England. In March 2010, there were about 374,000 list entries of which 5.5% were Grade II* and even fewer were superior.
Burnham Overy Staithe Windmill is a Grade II* listed building tower mill at Burnham Overy Staithe, Norfolk, England which has been converted to holiday accommodation.
The Saxon Mill is a former mill at Guy's Cliffe, Warwickshire, England, situated about one mile northeast of the town of Warwick. It is now a restaurant and bar. It is on the River Avon and it has a water wheel, although a larger waterwheel has gone. At the rear of the mill, there is a pedestrian footbridge and weir crossing the River Avon towards Old Milverton. The building has been designated as a Grade II listed building on the National Heritage List for England since 1951.
Cley Windmill is a Grade II* listed tower mill at Cley next the Sea, Norfolk, England which has been converted to residential accommodation.
Ringle Crouch Green Mill is a smock mill in Sandhurst, Kent, England, that was demolished to base level in 1945, and now has a new smock tower built on it as residential accommodation and an electricity generator.
John Baker's Mill is a grade II listed tower mill at Barnham, Sussex, England, which was under restoration and is now to be converted to residential use.
Stone Cross Windmill is a grade II* listed tower mill at Stone Cross, East Sussex, England which has been restored and is open to the public. The mill was also known as Blackness Mill and the White Mill.
Stock Windmill is a grade II* listed tower mill at Stock, Essex, which has been restored.
Thorpeness Windmill is a Grade II listed post mill at Thorpeness, Suffolk, England which was built in 1803 at Aldringham and moved to Thorpeness in 1923. Originally built as a corn mill, it was converted to a water pumping mill when it was moved to Thorpeness. It pumped water to the House in the Clouds.
Thelnetham Windmill, also known as Button's Mill is a Grade II* listed tower mill constructed of brick. The windmill is located at Thelnetham, Suffolk, England. It was built in the early nineteenth century to grind wheat into flour. Thelnetham windmill worked by wind power until 1924, latterly on two sails, after which it became derelict.
Flixton Road Mill is a tower mill at Bungay, Suffolk, England which has been truncated and converted to residential accommodation. The structure is a Grade II listed building.
Cawston Road Mill is a tower mill at Aylsham, Norfolk, England which has been truncated and converted for use as a holiday home.
Union Mills or Roy's Mills are a Grade II listed combined tower mill and watermill at Burnham Overy, Norfolk, England which has been converted to residential accommodation.
Norwich Road Mill or Fendick's Mill is a Grade II listed tower mill at East Dereham, Norfolk, England which was most recently restored and reopened to visitors in 2013.
Great Ellingham Windmill is a Grade II listed tower mill in Great Ellingham, Norfolk, England which has been converted to residential accommodation.
South Willingham is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England, and partly within the Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,. It is situated 1 mile (2 km) south of the A157 Lincoln to Louth road, 15 miles (24 km) west of Lincoln, where the central Lincolnshire Vale and the Lincolnshire Wolds meet. Its population was 160 at the 2011 census, down from a maximum of 341 in 1851.