Norfolk Mills

The site database search engine is on the Norfolk Mills page

List of recently updated pages - last site update 13th October 2018

This website contains a considerable amount of historical and genealogical data for well over
1,200 mills along with over 3,000 photographs.

All pages should be easily accessible via the links above.

Wanted!

Information on Norfolk windmills and watermills.
Also photographs for copying (repairing if necessary) and preserving.
All photographs would of course be returned immediately
Please or telephone 01263 713658

Harry Apling's wonderful book
Norfolk Corn Windmills
along with around
1,500 other mill titles and documents
are available from
Alan Ticehurst

At the time of Domesday, in the 11th century, there were some 580 recorded watermills in Norfolk, but no windmills. The earliest known windmill in Norfolk was recorded at Rackheath in 1268 and the earliest identified windmill site in Norfolk was at Barton_Bendish in 1338, although Thomas Thurne gave a windmill in Waxham to Hickling Priory c.1190.

By the early 1800s only 80 or 90 watermills were still functioning but there were still 300 - 400 windmills in the county. By the late 1800s the water and windmilled stone ground flour was fast giving way to roller mill produced flour. The taste of the people was changing and the new technology was capable of producing flour far more efficiently and faster.

Horning_Mill_Loke_postmill was probably the first postmill and possibly even the first windmill to be fitted with William Cubitt's patent sails c.1807 that were eventually to be used by virtually all Norfolk windmills. Stalham_smockmill is the only other known contender.

The first steam mill for auxiliary power was installed at Dickleburgh in 1834.

In 1939 Claude Messent recorded that there were only 60 watermills still standing and by 2004 the number had gone down to 52 with only around 20 still containing any remnants of machinery and many have now disappeared completely. Forever.

Standing watermills and windmills are now a rarity and this website is intended to provide a pictorial and historical record of all the mills I can trace here in Norfolk, England.
Jonathan Neville

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This site is recognised by
SPAB
The Society for the Protection
of Ancient Buildings
Mills Section

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