Norfolk Mills - Glandford

Glandford Mill
River Glaven

c.1912 and newly rebuilt

The mill dam in 1946

To Millers
To be Let With Possession at Michaelmas next
A Capital POST WINDMILL with two pairs of French stones, flour mill, jumper & roundhouse, with two floors, together with a good Dwelling house, contiguous garden etc. situate in the parish of Hindringham.
Apply (if by letter post paid) to Mr. C. Cooke & Son, Glandford near Holt.
Norfolk Chronicle - 21st July 1827

Below the ford, the old dam is choked with weed, and there is a pungenbt scent of water mint. The mill, whgich is now a dwelling house, was built in 1912, and replaced a wooden one. The last miller lost heart after the 1953 sea-surge, having had much of his equipment ruined.He said, You never knowwhen that's a-coming agin, though they do say once in a lifetime." Even an ordinary big tide "bayed up" the water, and prevented the mill from working.
Anybody at first sight of Glandford would suspect that nearly all the building was the result of the same influence. Eight double cottages with flint and brick gables were put up by Sir Alfred Jodrell of Bayfield Hall at the turn of the century. They replaced the same number of dilapidated dwellings which were demolished.
Each of the newer houses has a garden before it and behind. Sir Alfred sent men in early summer to bed out the front gardens, after which the tenants cared for them. "He was the boss, he was, paid everyone's dog licence, and he would have them there dawgs buried in his ceme-tary agin' Bayfield Hall."
Jane Hales, Eastern Daily Press - 9th September 1972

For pensioner Mr. Arthur Rayner, of Holt, retirement has brought little respite from his work as a miller.
After 50 years in the trade, first at Glandford for three years and then at Letheringsett_Mill, Arthur, as he is known by employers and customers alike, might have been expected to put his feet up.
But retirement simply means he has to cram a week's work into a couple of days.
ROUTINE
Milling, grinding, rolling oats, maintaining the machinery, keeping an eye on water levels, bagging up feedstuffs, selling various products to customers, humping one hundredweight sacks up and down stairs - these are only a few of the tasks Arthur includes in his daily routine.
Arthur went to work as an apprentice flour miller at Glandford_Mill in July 1924, seven months after his 14th birthday.
Both mills were then owned by the Cracknell family, but after the early death of Mr. Cracknell, Glandford was was sold and Arthur moved to the mill at Letheringsett.
FEEDSTUFFS
Mr. T. G. M. Boast managed the mill there for Ms. Cracknell for several years, eventually taking over on his own account until his retirement three years ago, when it was taken over by Aminovit, an animal feedstuffs firm whose co-directors are Mr. J. E. Sheen and Mr. E. S. M. Starling.
During his 50 years of milling, Arthur, who is now a provender-miller, has seen many changes at Letheringsett. The original water-driven machinery is still contained within the 200-year-old mill, although the drive shafts which work the various belts and rollers used today are run by a diesel engine.
"The diesel engine was installed in 1940," recalls Arthur.
When he started work 14 men were working at Glandford and Letheringsett. Now Arthur is the only one left. Until a year ago the mill was used to manufacture animal feedstuffs. Now it is mainly used as a warehouse selling the feed mad by other large manufacturers.
What milling work is done there now, all by Arthur, is chiefly grinding corn brought in and collected by local farmers.
"Pries have changed tremendously since I started work," said Arthur. A stone of maize used to cost 10d., now it would cost 62 or 63 new pence. The barley used to be bagged in coombs when I started, now it is all half hundredweight sacks."
DRESSING
In the twenties part of his duties included dressing the stones of the water wheel. Today he has to concern himself with engine bearings and oil levels.
"There isn't much place for these small mills nowadays. The big combines have taken most of the trade. Still, I manage to keep busy," said Arthur.
Eastern Daily Press - 1974

Mill dam drained to allow for mill repairs 9th April 2012

O. S. Map 1886
Courtesy of NLS map images

O.S. Map 2005
Image reproduced under licence from Ordnance Survey


c.1950	May 1967


April 1956	May 1967