Although Lenwade mill is on an ancient site the present building is relatively new. The previous weatherboarded mill burnt down in 1888 and J. James Sayer replaced it with the current brick building with a slate roof in 1890. The mill cost £900 to build and the mill house a further £250. It was probably in the 1950s that the walls were rendered white to the style so familiar to all that know the area. The boarding of the lucums was unusual in that it was set vertically.

The mill machinery cost a further £1,520 and consisted of a 44" Vickers turbine, wheat cleaning machinery and a roller plant capable of producing two 280lb sacks of flour per hour.

James Sayer's decision to take over and rebuild Lenwade mill was greatly influenced by the healthy profits produced by his son Robert who was running the nearby Elsing mill and returning a surplus of £500 per annum.

The wheel and flour machinery were taken out in about 1948, although the turbine and diesel engine remained. At this time the main motive power was switched to electricity to drive the new animal feed production line. The wheat, barley and oats came from British farms while the protein ingredients such as soya, sunflower, groundnut and fish meals mostly came from abroad.

During the 1950s a new iron cog wheel was cast and machined in Norwich before being fitted to take the turbine drive. During the next 25 years several additional building were added as production increased.

The Forster family would often buy contraband from smugglers on their way inland from the North Norfok coast. The family used to store smuggled tea in a copper coalscuttle that had been passed down through several generations.

A new road bridge over the Wensum carrying the A1067 was built in about 1927 on the mill side of the earlier smaller bridge, which was demolished some years later.

Peter Forster was miller in the last half of the 18th century and occasionally bought corn from Parson Woodforde (who had also been known to purchase kegs of contraband spirit). However most of Parson Woodforde's grain ended up at Trowse mill while most of his flour purchased for domestic use, came from Lenwade mill. Peter Forster was generally on good terms with James Woodforde and would send him gifts of eels, Yarmouth herrings, Colchester oysters, etc.

Ben Leggett, 'my farming man' would be despatched to deliver or collect by horse and cart, which would often be a full day's work as can be seen from the following excerpts from Parson Woodforde's famous diary:

Dec 16th 1784
To Mr Foster, Miller, on Lenewade Bridge - pd. 0 : 8 : 6 Sold to Mr Foster 8 Coombs and 2 Bushel of Wheat this Morning at £1 : 2s : 0d per Coomb, and sent it home to Lenewade Bridge in my Cart this Morning - N.B. He owes me for it - 8 : 16 : 0 He never said any thing about paying for it, neither when here or when my Man Ben carried it there.

May 20 - 1786
Ben sold my Wheat to the Marlingford Miller this Morning for 19 shillings per Coomb, to be carried thither next Week - My Miller, Forster would not give me more than 18 per Coomb tho’it was offered him first & which I would not take

Oct 13th 1787
Sent Ben this Morning to Norwich after News &c. and also to carry a Sample of Wheat to sell and which he did sell but only at £1 : 0s : 0d per Coomb to Forster of Lenewade Bridge - 10 Coomb - it is to be carried to him the ensuing Week

Dec 21st 1797
To my Miller, Mr Wade & Forster, paid him a Bill this Morning for Flour of 5 : 9 : 0

The general pattern that emerges seems to be that Woodforde sold his Wheat, Barley, Vetches, Peas etc. to Daniel Bloome at Trowse but had his own flour - i.e. for his own domestic consumption - produced at Lenwade.

Dec 26th 1788
To my Miller, Mr Forster, by Mr Wade who is a Partner with Mr Frost, for Flour -pd- 4 : 19 : 0

Jan 2nd 1799
Mr Forster of Lenewade Bridge called on me this Morning and I paid him a Bill for Flour and grinding Corn for me for the last year 6. 0. 4.....

Sept 25th 1802
Mr Foster of Lenewade Bridge sent a servant this Afternoon to enquire after me, very kind.

Woodforde was in the throes of a terminal illness - the last diary entry was made on 17th Oct 1802 and he died on New Year’s Day, 1803.

In 1969 Sayer Bros. became part of J. Bibby Agriculture Ltd. of Liverpool. However Sayer Bros. continued to manufacture pig and poultry feed for which they had become famed, having pioneered the bulk feed delivery system in this country.

Production at the mill continued until 1984 after which the mill remained empty for some 15 years before being sympathetically developed into luxury homes.

Homes plan for crumbling mill

A new road bridge over the Wensum carrying the A1067 was built in about 1927 on the mill side of the earlier smaller bridge, which was demolished some years later.

c.1775: Peter Forster

White's 1836: Peter Le Neve Foster

White's 1845: Henry Dutt

White's 1864: Winter & Savery

Kelly's 1779: Robert James Champion, miller, corn, cake & coal merchant, Lenwade mill

Kelly's 1883: Samuel Sharpin, miller & merchant, Lenwade (moved from Gt Witchingham mill)

1888: Mill burnt down

1890: Mill rebuilt by (John) James Sayer

Kelly's 1892: (John) James Sayer

Kelly's 1896: John J. Sayer & Sons, roller mills

Kelly's 1900: John J. Sayer & Sons, roller mills

Kelly's 1904: Sayer Bros., roller mills

Kelly's 1937: Sayer Bros., roller mills

c1948: Wheel and flour machinery taken out but turbine retained

1969: Sayer Bros bought out by J. Bibby Agriculture Ltd

1984: Production ceased

1999: Mill converted into luxury homes

June 2000: Bidwells advertised the mill for sale as 2 units: 2,500 sq ft for £340,000 (sold) and 3,300 sq ft for £390,000 plus the mill cottage for £185,000