Norfolk Mills - Elsing watermill

Elsing Mill
River Wensum

Norfolk Chronicle - 18th May 1776

Norfolk Chronicle - 8th February 1777

Norfolk Chronicle - 25th July 1778

Apply to Bignold, Pulley & Mawe, or Messrs. Sewell, Blake, Keith & Blake, Solrs. or to Mr. William Butcher, Auctioneer & Surveyor, all of Norwich.
Norfolk Chronicle - 12th, 19th & 26th November 1831

Detail of the loaded waggon from top photograph c.1911

Sale Catalogue photo 1917

Sale Catalogue map 1917

Ronald (Roly) Reginald Kemp outside mill 1948

Victor Blowers & Ronald Kemp (?) 1967

Mill dam September 1968

Ernest Hilton was tenant for 9 years from around 1915 - 1924 before returning to Swanton_Morley_postmill, where he had been brought up..

Side view of the mill c.1985

Mill & house 4th October 2003

Mill dam 4th October 2003

The remaining wheel paddles 10th June 1988

The wheel 4th October 2003

The Bylaugh pumphouse c.1967

The Bylaugh pumphouse 10th June 1988

The Bylaugh pump wheel in 1967

The Bylaugh pump wheel 10th June 1988

The pump 10th June 1988

The pump and wheel 10th June 1988

Natural England
River Wensum Restoration Strategy
Full Report
PDF 1
PDF 2

5.28 The Environment Agency does not own all of the mills or water rights at control structures along the River Wensum SSSI (Table 6). Where private mill rights exist, the Environment Agency has limited powers to control their operational regime and retention levels. However, during initial contact with stakeholders, some mill owners were supportive of the concept of river restoration and were prepared to consider options for altering the future water management regime on impounded river reaches.
5.29 None of the mills are now used for their original purpose and only at Lenwade, Bintry and Elsing have the undershot water wheels been retained. Whilst owners can vary the retained water levels within the old milling limits, the general practice is to hold the water at a relatively high level. This is largely for aesthetic reasons (in order to maintain an expanse of water upstream of the mills) but also due to increasing levels of siltation of the mill pools.
5.30 The fragmentary nature of mill ownership is highlighted during periods of high flow. Each mill owner operates their controls to evacuate floodwaters, often without reference to owners either upstream or downstream. This emphasises the need for improved communication between mill owners/operators and riparian owners/residents. Given the significance of mills to restoration
plans on the River Wensum, a potential constraint relates to the willingness of mill owners/operators to accept/implement changes in water levels, structures and channel works.
5.31 Conversely, mill owners may regard the development of the River Wensum Restoration Strategy as an opportunity for funding to modify structures that might be regarded as a liability in terms of maintenance, operation and health and safety.
River Wensum Restoration Strategy - Natural England

6.16 The mill structures have a profound influence on the river system in the Wensum catchment. If high retained water levels continue upstream of the mills, they would form a significant constraint on the effectiveness of river restoration. Physical modifications at mill sites should aim to restore a more natural longitudinal profile to the river and to remove or reduce physical barriers to the movement of fish and wildlife. Whilst historically a number of mills have been in existence for centuries these have always very actively stored and released water and the cessation of working of the mills in combination with dredging has had a significant impact.
6.17 The recommended actions at mill structures are shown in Table 9. At a number of sites there is no mill building and removal of water level control structures would be the desired course of action. However, often there are multiple channels at a mill site and it is likely that some hydraulic controls would be needed to maintain a split of flows to all channels. These would probably take the form of a fixed crest and a natural chute that would allow the passage of fish and woody debris. At locations where the water level control structures are part of the historic mill building, there is often a variety of passageways and the best way to lower levels will need to be identified using more detailed survey. Initial action can be taken at low cost by merely adjusting operating levels using the available gates and stop boards. The reduction in head that could be achieved at a typical dry weather flow is also summarised in Table 9. The estimated maximum reduction in backwater length through changing the operational level of the sluices (that is, without the need for major engineering works) is 18km. This would reduce the length of the River Wensum SSSI affected by backwater from mills from 67% to 40%. To achieve this it would be necessary to ensure that no channels downstream of gates or fixed weirs are affected, but this could be a cost effective start to the Wensum restoration.
6.18 It is likely that at some locations, where the channel course has been altered and the mill channel is significantly higher than the natural channel, the main flow could be diverted upstream of the current mill location. Maintaining some flow to the original mill weir is likely to be preferable for aesthetic and heritage reasons, so by-passing is likely to be required in conjunction with lowering of the mill weir. Sites where such a solution is envisaged are at Great Ryburgh and Lyng.
6.19 The control structures at Costessey, Swanton Morley and Fakenham are used for flow gauging by the Environment Agency. Lowering these weirs may mean that the existing gauging arrangements will need to be replaced by other methods, such as ultrasonic techniques. The weir on the main channel at Swanton Morley has a two stage drop and a significant reduction in water level could be achieved there without affecting flow gauging through the bridge.
6.20 A former mill known as Gogg‟s Mill near to Fakenham was removed as part of the drainage improvement works of the 1950s. The channel upstream of the mill has narrowed significantly through the accretion of silt berms, and provides a good case study of the extent to which natural recovery can help restore natural river form and function.
6.21 As part of the River Wensum Water Level Management Plan being prepared by Entec (2007) the views of some private owners on changes in operating level have been canvassed. In broad terms this is not opposed, but there is concern to maintain an attractive setting incorporating some mill pond in line with the historical context particularly at:
1) Elsing
2) Great Ryburgh
3) Bintree
4) North Elmham
5) Lenwade.
6.22 A reduction in the retained water level at mills may constrain the ability to direct water through all the existing channels at mill sites, should this still be required, there may be a need to carry out physical modifications to some of the subsidiary water level control structures.
River Wensum Restoration Strategy - Natural England, 26th June 2009

River Wensum Restoration Strategy - Natural England, 26th June 2009

O. S. 6" Map 1881-82 (not to scale)
Courtesy of NLS map images

O. S. 25" Map 1882 (not to scale)
Courtesy of NLS map images

O.S. Map 2008
Image reproduced under licence from Ordnance Survey

Ronald (Roland) Reginald Kemp owned and ran the mill until he retired in 1966 and died in September 1969 at the age of 61

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To be Sold by Auction by Wm. Butcher at the Kings Arms Inn, East Dereham on Monday November 28, 1831 at 1 o'c in Three Lots The following desirable Property belonging to the Assignees of Mr. William Tuck, a Bankrupt. Lot 1. A Capital WATER CORN MILL ... ELSING Lot 2. A Capital Malt office ... Elsing Lot 3. An excellent Windmill with patent sails, driving two pair of stones at Whissonsett in Norfolk, in the occupation of Simon Reeder; also two brick and tile Dwelling houses and Baking office and general shop in the occupation of ... This Mill has been erected in the most substantial manner within a few years, is in a complete state of repair and is distant from Fakenham four miles. This Lot is Freehold and the residue Copyhold of Whissonsett, fine certain.
Annual payments	Land tax Dunhams Cole	£1 ....13.4 ---------- £1.13.4
Apply to Bignold, Pulley & Mawe, or Messrs. Sewell, Blake, Keith & Blake, Solrs. or to Mr. William Butcher, Auctioneer & Surveyor, all of Norwich. Norfolk Chronicle - 12th, 19th & 26th November 1831


Mill dam 1951	1953


March 1967	c.1980