Honingham Mill
River Tud



Sketch c.1830
Sketch c.1830

Honingham was a village mill that probably worked until after the second world war. The upper storey was weatherboarded and the lower two were tarred over brick. The wheel was 14 feet in diameter and 6 feet wide, and was driving two pairs of stones in 1803. By 1837 three pairs of stones were in production, the water wheel being aided by a steam engine.

Rebuilding the bridge after the August 1912 flood Rebuilding the bridge after the August 1912 flood
Rebuilding the bridge after the August 1912 flood

The earlier sketch above shows the mill with pantiles and it also depicts a ford across the river. However, Claude Messent's 1938 drawing and accompanying text confirms that the mill had by now been re roofed with slate but the mill house remained pantiled.

The lucum was on the gable end, accessed through double gates, presumably to offer safer loading and to allow passage to other traffic along the road if the ford was unpassable.

Approach from the south c.1905 Approach from the north c.1905
Approach from the south c.1905
Approach from the north c.1905

Marriage 1768: Thomas Eastoe and Susanna Clarke

Burial 4th Oct 1768: Thomas Esto, miller

Baptism 1771: Thomas Esto, son of Thomas Esto and Susanna
Buried 1806: Thomas Eastoe, age 34, son of Thomas Eastoe and Susannah Clarke (left will - see below)

Baptism 1773: Susanna Eastoe, daughter of Thomas Eastoe and Susanna
Buried 1797: Susannah Eastoe, age 23 daughter of Thomas Eastoe and Susannah Clarke

Burial 4th April 1776: Susanna wife of Thomas Eastoe - miller

Married 13th Aug.1776: Thomas Eastoe and Anne Hawkins by license

Baptism 1777: Anne, daughter of Thomas Eastoe and Anne
Died 1847: Anne Eastoe, age 69 in Norwich. GRO death certificate. (left will-see below)

Baptism 1781: Maria Eastoe, daughter of Thomas Eastoe and Anne
Buried 1799: Maria Eastoe, age 17, daughter of Thomas Eastoe and Ann Hawkins
                               
Baptism 1787: Charlotte Eastoe, daughter of Thomas Eastoe and Anne Hawkins
Buried 1831: Charlotte Eastoe, age 44 (National Burial Index)

Baptism ????: Elizabeth Eastoe, date and place unknown but Anne's sister by implication from her 1847 will
Married 1795: Elizabeth Eastoe and William Lubbock

Baptism 1798: Henry Easthoe, son of William Lubbock and Elizabeth (Kings Lynn)
Baptism 1798: Thomas Easthoe son of William Lubbock and Elizabeth (Kings Lynn)
Baptism 1801: Susannah, daughter of William Lubbock and Elisabeth Eastoe       
Baptism 1809: Edward John, son of William Lubbock and Elizabeth Eastoe (Swaffham)

From the Archdeaconry Court of Norwich Wills
Thomas Eastoe NRO  Norwich MF 352/3 W112 127

Will Proved 07/11/1708 Under £300 (death duty register IR26/393 238)

Executrix Elizabeth Lubbock, wife of William Lubbock& sister of deceased

Anne Eastoe's 1847 will refers to 'my grave, my father's & mother's, Charlotte's, Maria's, Susan's, and my brother's, and my father's first wife's'. Also named were Thomas Eastoe Lubbock, Henery Eastoe Lubbock and Edward Eastoe Lubbock as 'my 3 nephews', making Elizabeth Lubbock her sister.
Information supplied by Bill Eastoe - 13th April 2010

Copy of Claude Messent's 1938 drawing by Pippa Miller
Copy of Claude Messent's 1938 drawing by Pippa Miller

21st May 1939 Mill intact - 21st May 1939
Mill House and mill - 21st May 1939
Mill intact - 21st May 1939

Water Mill & Wind Mill
To be Sold by Auction
At the Kings Arms Inn in East Dereham On Friday 9 December next at 4o'c.
All that Freehold Dwelling House with every convenience necessary lately occupied by Mr. Thomas Eastoe, deceased, in Honingham, together with an exceeding good water mill adjoining, in full trade & extremely well situated, being next to the Turnpike Road leading from East Dereham to Norwich (a good wheat country) with two pair of stones 4 feet diameter, a water wheel 14 feet diameter & 6 feet float, the water wheel, lanes, groundwork etc. are almost new, with all the going gears, implements and machinery complete. Also a Wind-Mill near. Eight miles from Norwich & 8 from East Dereham. Enquire of Messrs. Crisp & Son, East Dereham or Mr. Wells of Honingham, who will shew the premises.
Norfolk Chronicle - 3rd December 1803

c.1950 17th May 2003
c.1950
17th May 2003

Mill dam c.1950 Mill & house c.1950
Mill dam c.1950
Mill & house c.1950

TO MILLERS or MEALMEN,
HONINGHAM MILLS
TO BE LET
And may be Entered upon at Midsummer next,

ALL those capital WATER CORN MILLS, driving three pairs of Stones, with flour Apparatus, &c. with Steam Engine attached. – Also a capital Brick_Tower_Windmill, driving two pairs of Stones, with patent Sails, &c.
A capital Dwelling-house, with yards, gardens, stabling, sheds, and cottages, with every convenience attached. About 18 Acres of excellent Arable and Meadow Land adjoining, may be had if required.
The Mills are capable of manufacturing 8 lasts of Corn per week on an average of the year, and are very eligibly situated for Trade, adjoining the Turnpike road, in a good Wheat country, about half way between the city of Norwich and Market Dereham, from each about seven miles.
Apply to Mr. Utton, Bracondale, Norwich; or to Mr. Lock, Engineer, Post-office, Norwich.
Letters to be post-paid.
Norfolk Chronicle - 22nd & 29th April & 6th May 1837

c.1955
c.1955

1956 1958
1956
1958

1965
1965

The mill house was demolished first as can be seen in the above photo.
The mill was demolished in 1966.

Site of the waterwheel September 1968 17th May 2003
Site of the waterwheel September 1968
17th May 2003

Mill tailrace September 1968
Mill tailrace September 1968

O. S. Map 1882

O. S. Map 1882
Watermill top centre and Honingham towermill lower left
Courtesy of NLS map images

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

I am an ex patriate of Norwich
I came across your most fascinating website via a link from Plunkett's Old Norwich Photos website.
I had a friend , Clive Harris the son of the owner H.A. Harris that I used to visit in the early sixties
I well remember the Holt road.
I lost contact with Clive after moving to London and emigrating to Australia in 1971.
I was very sorry to learn that the mill has been demolished, more history & tradition bulldozed away.
Thank you for the opportunity of revisiting my past
John M. Clayton, Queensland, Australia - 11th May 2011

White's 1854: Howard Reeve, farmer
White's 1854: William Reeve, farmer, plumber & glazier

Kelly's 1900: Mrs. Emma Millet & Frederick Cullum Millett, farmers
Kelly's 1904: Mrs. Emma Millet & Frederick Cullum Millett, farmers

Marriage 1768: Thomas Eastoe jnr and Susanna Clarke

Burial 4th Oct 1768: Thomas Esto snr, miller

4th April 1776: Susanna Eastoe having died was buried - wife of Thomas Eastoe jnr, miller

13th August 1776: Thomas Eastoe jnr married Ann Hawkins, a singlewoman by licence

1788: Thomas Eastoe jnr, miller

Faden's map 1797: Honingham Mill

c.1800: Mill renovated, new wheel fitted and water channels refurbished

Poll book 1802: Thomas Eastoe jnr

Index of Wills 1803: Thomas Eastoe jnr

December 1803: Mill advertised for sale by auction along with postmill after the death of Thomas Eastoe jnr

White's 1836: William Lewin, miller

April 1837: Mill advertised to be let along with Honingham towermill

White's 1845: Robert Johnson Neeve, miller

White's 1854: Robert Johnson Neeve, miller

1858: Robert Johnson Neeve, miller

Harrod's 1863: Edward Sendall, miller

Harrod's 1868: Edward Sendall, miller

1872: Stephen Sendall, miller & farmer

1878: Stephen Millett, miller

Kelly's 1879: Stephen Millett, miller & farmer

White's 1883: Stephen Millett, miller, farmer & corn merchant

1888: Stephen Millett, miller

1890: Mrs. Emma Millet & Frederick Cullum Millett, millers & farmers

Kelly's 1892: Mrs. Emma Millet & Frederick Cullum Millett, millers (wind & water) & farmers

Kelly's 1892: Mrs. Emma Millet & Frederick Cullum Millett, millers (water) & farmers

Kelly's 1892: Mrs. Emma Millet & Frederick Cullum Millett, millers (water) & farmers

Kelly's 1912: William Fendick, miller (water), corn, seed, cake, & manure merchant, agent for the British Agricultural Co. Grange fm (previously at Dereham towermill)

Kelly's 1916: William Fendick, miller (water), corn, seed, cake, coal & manure merchant T N 4 Honingham

Kelly's 1922: Reginald P. Blower, miller (water) & farmer

1955: Mr. & Mrs. Birdwood - emigrated to South Africa in 1956

1956 - 1980: Mr. & Mrs. H.A. Harris

1959: Machinery including the wheel still intact and in good order

1966: Mill demolished

July 2009: Mill house advertised for sale by Fine & Country for c.£495,000


If you have any memories, anecdotes or photos please let us know and we may be able to use them to update the site. By all means telephone 07836 675369 or

Nat Grid Ref TG 10331168
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Copyright © Jonathan Neville 2003