This watermill is one of the lost mills of Norfolk and has completely disappeared except for some traces of brickwork and no one appears to even remember the building. However, it was there in a place known as Smokers Hole and the two single storey cottages next to it were called Mill Cottages, which were inhabited during the war by a legendary character known as Long Sal. Sadly, the cottages have also disappeared save for some low walls of brick and flintwork. Earlier maps show the cottages as Mill House, which could easily have been split into two cottages at a later date.

For the record the site is on a public footpath and the co-ordinates are N. 52º 53' 229" E. 001º 06' 122"

In the 12th century Simon de Hempstede, who became Lord of the Manor in 1182, granted additional water rights to the monks of Binham Priory, in the form of the water between Hempstead and Edgefield in order..." to better the monks' mill."

It is quite likely that the original watercourse was altered for several hundred yards in the vicinity of the mill, in order to favour the mill. Parish boundaries frequently follow the exact paths of ancient watercourses and it will be noted that Hempstead's boundary with Edgefield bypasses the mill on the west side, whereas the Glaven takes a much more direct easterly route.

Smokers Hole, according to local historian Jane Hales, referred to a depot or rendezvous used by smugglers in the process of moving their contraband inland as fast as possible. In William Newman's book of 1728, three buildings are shown on the site, one of which could well have been a barn.

The road from Hempstead to Edgefield passes through Pond Hills. It is partly a field road and as it winds through the wood is one of the most picturesque in the county. In the wood is a pond from which a stream flows into the Glaven forming the second tributary. Just below the junction there was until recently a mill house, which was the site of a watermill. The causeway which formed the mill dam still exists. This is probably the mill referred to in a grant by Simon of Hemsted to the monks of Binham Priory of the water between Hempstead and Edgefield to better the monks' mill...
Basil Cozens-Hardy

Prior to moving to Hempstead Mill in 1911, a Mrs. Newall was living at the Mill Cottages. When required, the miller at Hempstead would carry a large bag of flour down through the woods to where Mrs. Newall and her family lived. He had a resting post on the side of the track about half way down.

Recent surface scraping with farm machinery revealed brick foundations next to the watercourse.

The site and most of the village once belonged to the Gurney family, who then sold the estate to George Knight in 1945, who later sold the area around the mill to Henry Mack on 6th April 1946.

O.S. map 1836: Mill House