In Saxon times there were two mills at Hellesdon but by the mid 16th century only the mill dam of one mill remained. Operations having ceased, possibly due to a feud between the Paston family and the Duke of Suffolk. In those days mills were sometimes dual purpose, grinding corn and carrying out the fulling process to assist local weavers. Hellesdon was then without a watermill for about 200 years until in 1683, William Gostlin from Woolverston Park, Suffolk persuaded the Bishop of Norwich to allow him to rebuild a mill. This was mainly due to ancient papers proving that previous mills stood on the site being identified by Augustine Lowe, Gostlin's bailiff at Hellesdon. It was built using mainly Hellesdon grown timber and tarras. Tarras was a type of mortar that was to used to cover or lay with plaster and Lowe contended that it was very hard wearing and the more tarras was used the less wood would be required. The mill and mill house, under the same roof, were actually built on foundations consisting of wood frames set below the river level. By 1719 these foundations had deteriorated badly and considerable renovation was required. A new mill house was built away from the mill at a cost of £140 and the mill carried on from where the previous one had left off, grinding corn and undertaking fulling work although it later went into oil production, possibly colza (rapeseed) oil, used in oil lamps before petroleum products were discovered, or linseed oil.

Hellefdon Mills, Norwich, Sept. 20, 1783
To be SOLD

In January 1848 William Wells bought the mill from Revd. Henry Berners of Woolverston Park, Suffolk. By June 1851 the mill and the mill house had been reconstructed and refitted over four water channels.
It was 4 storeys high and built on a timber frame let into a brick base and foundations. It had 2 lucums and on the south side there were a total of 66 windows. The frame was cladded out with weatherboarding under a slate roof. William Wells also built a whole complex on the site consisting of houses, cottages, warehouses, stables, drying kilns, blacksmith's shops, carpenter's shops and offices. Hellesdon Mill now was almost as large as Costessey mill and was thus one of the largest and most impressive mills in the county.

The mill was said to have 16 pairs of stones powered by the waterwheels and a further 6 pairs run by a steam engine.

Hellesdon mill was bought by the Norwich Corporation in 1920, partly because they wished to control the city water supply and partly because they wished to use the timber to build houses on the Angel Estate that were required in accordance with Prime Minister Lloyd George's promise to servicemen that ...homes fit for heroes would be built after the war. At the City Council meeting of 18th May 1920, it was stated that:
A commencement has been made in taking down Hellesdon Mill, which consists chiefly of thoroughly good timber, which will be used for housing at Angel Estate.

All that then remained was a small section of the eastern end. By the 1950s the decaying weatherboard had been replaced by corrugated asbestos and the building was in a severe state of disrepair. It was eventually saved and converted into a dwelling.

For many years one of the stones lay in the mud near the bank at the southern end of the millpool. The stone appeared to be an edge runner stone, which means it was left over from the days when vegetable based oil was produced at the mill.

On 26th May 1999 the EDP reported that local residents had mounted a campaign to prevent the mill granary and malthouse being developed into 11 flats.

Joseph Ames and later his son Daniel Ames ran the mill from at least 1788 - 1784. Daniel's son Edward Ames went on to run Stoke Holy Cross mill. The Ames family were also involved with Oxnead mill.
Joseph Ames' daughter Mary, married William Parkinson who was in partnership with Joseph Ames at Hellesdon by 1779. William and Mary Parkinson had a son Joseph Ames Parkinson, who went on to run Keswick postmill.

Joseph Ames was executor to the will of Thomas Spurrell who owned Aylsham Mill. The will was signed on 26th March 1770 and Thomas Spurrell died shortly afterwards; he was buried in Aylsham on 23rd June 1770. Joseph Ames, described as Gentleman, had possibly met Thomas Spurrell as a near neighbour - Aylsham and Oxnead mills were only a few miles apart on the River Bure.

In 1959 Frank Larkman stated in the East Anglian magazine that after milling ceased the mill was converted and run as a brewery by Bullard & Sons.

1042 - 1066: First mention of mill in Hellesdon

1228: Mill owned by Reginald, the Abbot of St. Benets at Holm

1460: Mill owned by Paston family

2nd July 1566: Charter of Philip and Mary confirms that mill no longer existed

1683: Mill rebuilt by William Gostlin

June 1684: Gostlin's mill began to operate

1719: Mill renovated

1788: Joseph Ames & Sons (also of Oxnead mill) took on Richard Gibson as an apprentice

1779: Joseph and Daniel Ames and William Parkinson insured the wheels. Parkinson family also at Mousehold Black postmill , Keswick watermill and Keswick postmill

31st Jan 1784: Joseph Ames died

Faden's map 1797: Mill

1804: Ames & Parkinson partnership ended - William Parkinson probably retained control

Sun 28th April 1805: Mill destroyed by fire

Pigot's 1830: Pratt & Culley

White's 1836: Culley & Pratt

White's 1845: Samuel Culley

January 1848: William Harrison Wells, formerly of Dilham watermill, bought the mill from Rev. Henry Berners

June 1851: William Harrison Wells reopened the reconstructed and extremely large mill

1850s - 1860s: Papermaking commenced again under Delane & Co (also of Taverham mill)

c.1864: Mill ceased working

1868: William Harrison Wells running New Mills and Crook's Place towermill, Heigham but bankrupt by 1870

May 1920: Mill demolished by Norwich City Council

1959: Mill buildings in use as a garage, a repair shop and a furniture depository

December 2003: Watsons Estate Agents advertising 10 new homes in the granary and other buildings

April 2005: Last 2 bedroomed apartment in the granary advertised for sale by Fine & Country for £165,000