At the time of Domesday, three watermills were listed in Sculthorpe. By 1225 the mills belonged to Richard Botte and the de Hasseneye or de Hasseneia family with the latterday Sculthorpe watermill, along with ten acres of land becoming known as Hasseneia Mill.

The final structure of Hasseneia mill was built on a large strip of gravel and silt above an ancient ford that was once the river crossing point for the Romans. The building was made up of flint rubble with brick dressings that probably came from an earlier mill with a new Norfolk pantiled roof. According to a plaque on its rear wall, this new mill was built in 1757, possibly just after alterations of the river course.

Having ground corn for many years, the mill probably ceased working c.1947 and was becoming derelict by the 1950s.

In 1478 the Manor Court Rolls for Skullthorppe, Valerianus Shragger and Johannes Barsham confirm in their deed of 25 acres, the freedom of one water-mill with staith and fishpond pertaining to the same mill formerly once called Bottemylle.

Bottemylle, once owned by and named after the family of Richard Botte, disappeared along with the third mill over time and eventually only one mill survived - Hasseneia Mill.

The Sculthorpe Field Book of 1766 lists Sculthorpe mill as belonging to George Townshend next the Mill Dam ... one Watermill called Hastney Mill otherwise Sculthorp Mill... The name Hastney is doubtless a derivation of the earlier Hasseneia.

Osman Lowder, miller in 1766, died on 21st April 1771 at the age of 74 and was buried in Sculthorpe alongside his wife Elizabeth.

The inscription on his gravestone reads:

Weep not for me my children dear
I am not dead but just rest here.
My debt is paid
My grave you see
Wait but awhile
You will follow me.

Sculthorpe Mill was the first mill on the River Wensum. An old map section of West Rudham shows a spring that is listed as the sourse of the Wensum. However, it would appear from modern maps that the source is in fact just to the north of Horningtoft.

Sculthorpe Mill was about two miles upstream from Hempton_Mill, which in turn was about one mile upstream from Fakenham_Mill This meant that except in times of maximum river flow, the three mills would have had to have been worked in conjunction. When Sculthorpe opened its wheel sluice and started to use its stored head of water, the outflow would head towards Hempton's dam, ready for use before being passed downstream to Fakenham. In order to maximise the efficient use of the available water supply the millers at each of the mills used a system of smoke signals to warn their colleagues whenever the sluices were to be operated.

Sale of Household Furniture of Thomas Savory of Sculthorpe Mills ...
Deed of Assignment ...
Debts to Benjamin Carter of Rainham or Mr. John Jarrett, of Hempton.
Norfolk Chronicle - 25th April 1812

Notice re:-
William SANTY late of Sculthorpe, miller, deceased.
Lynn Advertiser - 29th September 1866

William Handcock ran the mill from 1902 to 1903 when he died, although it is probable that he was working at the mill prior to taking it over, possibly from as far back as 1875. He married Patience Harriet Anne (née Wright) Handcock (b.Filby 1850) in 1868 at Walsingham and went on to have 10 children. The eldest was their son William followed by Blanche Matilda Hazell who was born in Horstead in 1871. While living at Sculthorpe Mill in the early 1880s, she would walk the 3 miles to Fakenham each day in order to attend school, pushing the younger children in a pram. They paid a penny a week in school fees.

Blanche remembered the mill as a lonely place and the children would get very excited if they spotted another human being by the river.

William Handcock thought the fish in the River Wensum were beautiful and the Lord's work. He refused to catch them. His wife Patience thought the Lord would not have "Given a bugger" if a few fed their children!
Ivy Lillian Hazell (daughter of Blanche)

William Handcock must have suffered from lung complaints and fell ill. He eventually died of pneumonia.
When William became infirmed his young son Alfred took on the mill work but was soon killed.

"Alfred was showing his best friend the mill machinery and for some reason put his foot on the millstone. He was dragged into the workings and instantly died. His mother, Patience, knew something dreadful had happened because she heard the mill stop. Her hair turned from black to white overnight from the shock."
Ivy Lillian Hazell (daughter of Blanche)

The figure in the doorway of the c.1900 photograph at the top of the page is probably either William or Alfred Handcock.

Before the accident some of the elder children, including Blanche, had left the Mill. Most probably entered into service - three went to work at the Grosvenor Hotel, Victoria, London. Blanche ended up in Middlesex where she met and married William Hazell. Bill Hazell was an engineer by trade and when Alfred Handcock was killed, Bill was keen to take over the Mill, which he had visited in 1902 during his engagement to Blanche. However, Blanche absolutely refused to go back to Sculthorpe - she much preferred the bright lights of West London, so when William Handcock died the family left the Mill and moved out to live with the older children.
Blanche nursed her mother Patience until her death in Isleworth, Middlesex in the 1920s.

Around 1916 the mill was being rented by William Harris. It appears he persuaded one of his employees, George Gostling Gray to buy the mill from the Townshends of Raynham through a trust in 1923. Gray obtained the necessary money through his marriage to Caroline Fairburn, thereby eventually acquiring the money from her family. Caroline's father then appointed two trustees whose assent would have to be obtained before the mill could be sold. The trustees were a Mr. Rackburn and "Rat" Ratcliffe Pope.

At the time of the left hand picture above in 1958 the house attached to the right of the mill was still inhabited by the last miller to work the mill. The mill buildings in the right hand picture were subsequently converted to housing accommodation.

During the 1950s the original round watercourse arches and bridge were reinforced by rather ugly square arches with concrete lintels.

I cannot find any photographs of the interior although I remember it clearly. There was no mains water or electricity - drinking water was drawn from the well in the cottages opposite and it was very good too. All lighting was by paraffin lamps.  Mains were not brought down to the Mill until after my Grandmother sold out.
Richard Plank - 5th June 2003

At Easter 1965, William Patrick Collins, the new owner opened the mill and mill house as a Country Club, although some of the original beams still remained as features.

Part of the waterwheel axle was sunk into the riverbed and became a fencepost and a mooring post for boats.

The children in the above photo are from left to right:
Jennifer Butler, Amanda Fisher, Ronnie Butler, Brad Fisher and Brian Fisher

After a £400,000 restoration program, following the fire in July 2002, the mill was officially reopened for business on 30th January 2003 by the fire crews from Fakenham and Great Massingham who had helped save the building from total destruction. Local actress Liza Goddard and her husband David Cobham also took part along with Greene King's senior business manager, Richard Cobb. Leaseholders Justine Manning and Steven Smith run the restaurant that also has six bedroom accommodation.

c.1225: Lemarin or Lennard the miller. Mill owned by the de Hasseneia family

c.1225: Simon the miller

1257: John Earle Warenne (fought William Wallace at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297) owned the manor

1375: Sir John De Norwich died and the watermill in the Manor of Sculethorp was valued at 28s. 6d.

28th September 1757: Lease from Mary Chaplin of Tattersett to Hon. (General) George Townshend of Sculthorpe, tenant of Cranmer Hall

1757: New mill built

Sculthorpe Field Book 1766: Osman Lowder, miller

21st April 1771: Osman Lowder, miller, died at the age of 74

Faden's map 1797: Mill

1812: Thomas Savory, miller

April 1812: Notice re sale of Household furniture of Thomas Savory, miller due to Deed of Assignment

Enclosure 1829: William Santy, miller

Pigot's 1839: William Sainter, miller

White's 1836: William Santy, corn miller

White's 1845: William Santy, corn miller

Kelly's 1854: William Santy, miller

White's 1854: Charles Horsley, & merchant b.1827

Census 1871: Walter King, journeyman miller (previously at Keswick_watermill)

Kelly's 1883: Charles Horsley & Son, also Fakenham, Hempton & Wendling

Kelly's 1896: Charles Horsley & Son, millers

1902: William Handcock

17th March 1903: William Handcock died (b.16th August 1844 Shotesham)

23rd June 1903: Alfred Ernest Handcock (son) caught and crushed to death in the machinery aged 15

1904: Philip Goulder

24th July 1905: Nellie (E.) Goulder (daughter of Philip & Susanna) drowned at the mill aged 25

c.1906: Richard Harris, farmer - The Grange

28th May 1911: Charles Horsley died

Kellys 1922: George Gray, miller (water)

1923: George Gostling Gray bought the mill from the Townshends of Raynham

Kellys 1925: George Gray, miller (water)

Kellys 1933: George Gostling Gray, miller (water)

22nd June 1934: George Gostling Gray (b. 1877) died aged 57

Kellys 1937: Mrs. Caroline Gray, miller (water) Tel. Fakenham 171

1946: Mill ceased working

1959: Mill lying derelict but adjoining Mill House still occupied by the last miller

1964: Bought by William Patrick Collins

Easter 1965: William Patrick Collins - opened as a Country Club

June 1965: Expanded to residential restaurant and club

11th April 1966: Caroline Gray died aged 88

1969: William Collins sold the Mill Hotel and Country Club to Ken & Jean Parrish

May 1973: Mill advertised as Sculthorpe Mill Country Club, restaurant with accommodation

1985: Ken & Jean Parrish retired

1985 - 2000: Owners included Thornham Lifeboats and Old English Inns

12th July 2002: Serious fire caused by electrical fault in mill owned by Greene King

30th January 2003: Mill reopened as restaurant with accommodation