Although a build date of 1680 is often quoted, Bocking Windmill was actually built in 1721 at a position some 170 yards (160 m) to the west (TL 761 260 51°54′14″N 0°33′40″E / 51.904°N 0.561°E / 51.904; 0.561) of its present site.

The first mention of the mill was in an indenture dated 19 April 1721 where the lease of land that had been enclosed for the building of a windmill was sold to Joseph Nash, miller of Halstead for £11.

The mill was marked on Warburton, Bland and Smyth's map dated c1724.

Thomas French, miller of Halstead, purchased the mill for £135 on the death of the mortgagee c1734.

The mill at this time had one pair of French burr stones and a flour dresser.

[3] In 1929, the mill was presented to Bocking Parish Council by its owner, Edward H Tabor.

With the help of the clerk, Alfred Hills, over £400 was subscribed and the mill was repaired at a cost of £225, with the rest of the money being invested to raise a maintenance fund of £5 annually.

F J Bearman, a director of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club donated 50 Guineas.

A pair of underdrift millstones is located on the upper floor of the roundhouse, these were driven via a portable steam engine in times of calm.

[2] The roundhouse was originally built as a single-storey structure, it and the mill being raised a storey at a later date.

There is a cast iron mortice wheel with 66 cogs drives a flour dresser.