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Bidston Windmill has been added to Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register, with urgent repairs needed to secure its future.
The Grade II*-listed windmill on Bidston Hill is one of 10 sites in the North West newly added to the 2026 register, which was published today (5 November).
The register is Historic England's yearly snapshot of historic buildings and places at risk from neglect, decay or inappropriate development.
The windmill dates from the late 18th century and was restored in the late 19th century and again in the 1970s. Its door lintel is inscribed "Restored A.D.1894". The windmill's listing was last amended in 1992.
It was bought by the Corporation of Birkenhead, together with the surrounding land, in 1909.
The Friends of Bidston Hill still open the windmill for guided tours, but volunteer numbers have not fully recovered since the pandemic.
Chris Langton, who chairs the group, told the Liverpool Echo that "several hundreds of thousands of pounds" are likely to be needed.
"The whole of the wooden roof needs seeing to," he said. "We've had quite a lot of pigeons get in there, and that's caused a lot of damage. There's a lot of wet getting inside, which is keeping the walls damp."
He said being on the register should open up new funding opportunities, adding that the Friends had "repeatedly raised concerns" with the council about the windmill's condition over many years.
Wirral Council said it was "fully committed" to restoring the windmill and that being on the register "should not be seen negatively" because it opens up access to funding.
A council spokesperson said: "Plans have already been drawn up to undertake repairs to the roof and window shutters and install a new chainwheel. The council's intention is to secure funding and carry out the required works as soon as possible."
Historic England's co-chief executives, Claudia Kenyatta and Emma Squire, said: "Our historic buildings and places help tell the story of where we live and contribute to the character and identity of local communities."
Elsewhere in Bidston, we reported in September that a 13th-century farmhouse in Bidston Village had gone on sale.
The council says it now aims to secure funding so the repairs can go ahead as soon as possible.
