Norfolk Mills - Snettisham watermill

Snettisham Mill
River Ingol

c.1910

In 1800 Snettisham Mill was built by the people for the people

In 2003 the mill is up for sale and the people of Snettisham are once more attempting to take the mill back into public ownership to be preserved as a living museum - before it disappears forever

Any and all assistance would be gratefully received by Jayne Caley of the Parish Council Tel. 01485 543721

Snettisham watermill, was built in 1800 for £800 at a time when bread was scarce and it was built by the community for the community. It is probable that it was built on an existing site although virtually no records have so far been found apart from the fact that Thomas Stonne was a Snettisham miller in 1626. At the time of Domesday there were seven mills in Snettisham - more than in any other Norfolk village.

The mill itself is quite small and originally consisted of a single small structure built of local carrstone with a pantiled roof. Carrstone is a variety of sandstone that is dark brown due to minute grains of iron ore. Around 1877 the machinery was improved and a twin section added to become the granary and waggon store.

The mill carried on producing flour until 1940 and after that was used for animal feed production until 1960.

The mill had three pairs of stones and unusually the larger two pairs were driven from above and the smaller pair from below, the latter pair required less power and was used when water levels were low. Other Norfolk mills that drive stones from above are Hunworth, Stoke_Holy_Cross, Thornage and Weybourne. Later on a belt driven roller mill was added.

June 1968

At the time the mill was built a significant part of farmworkers' wages could be taken up by the cost of having corn ground into flour. Local people would bring in grain they had grown themselves or gleanings they had acquired.

June 1968

Normally, when flour leaves the stones, it passes down a chute into bags. However, at Snettisham it passed down a chute into bins from which the flour was then measured out to the poor of the parish.

SNETTISHAM
To be Sold by Auction on Tuesday 2 June 1863 at the Globe Hotel, King's Lynn... (18 April ... by John BECK)
a small FLOUR -MILL, HOUSE & COTTAGE and about 8a. of Accommodation LAND also near the Village and within 200 yards of Snettisham Railway Station, occupied by Mr. Stephen BUTCHER, Mr. John MALLETT and Mr. Joseph TURNER.
Norfolk Chronicle - April & 2nd May 1863

The wheelhouse with the intact wheel June 1968


Wheel spokes and axle May 1977	Belt driven roller mill May 1977

GENERAL VIEW OF THE AGRICULTURE OF THE COUNTY OF NORFOLK BOARD OF AGRICULTURE By the Secretary of the Board 1813 Chapter X1V Section 1V The Poor p.41
Chapter X1V	Section 1V	The Poor	p.491
An establishment at Snettisham, which has been found of the greatest use to the poor and has answered every expectation is a subscription water-mill; it cost 800£ and a miller is employed, at 20s. per week, to grind, at 4d per bushel, for all persons, whencesoever coming. Also in 1804 Edition

25th August 2003


1983	25th August 2003

In 1981 the mill was bought by Robin and Audrey Nott who set about renovating the buildings, a new roof being the initial priority. Much of the original machinery lay intact. By 1984 the mill was back in operational order and able to provide milling demonstrations to the public.


Two pairs of lower stones 1980	Upper pair of stones 1980


The wheel, September 1998	Crown wheel, stone nuts and stones, September 1998

The Water Mill enjoys an enviable position, having East/West elevations with lovely established gardens which include the Mill Pond itself which has recently been dredged. The whole site extends to about an acre subject to survey. This is a unique opportunity to acquire a Grade II Listed historical building. The main structure is of local carrstone under a pantiled roof and measures approximately 22' x 52' and is arranged on two floors and has the original mill wheel in working order. The River Ingol flows through the Mill Pond and out through the sluice gate which is controlled by the Water Mill.
SERVICES: All mains services are available to the other properties on the Mill House site but any interested purchasers will have to make their own enquiries as to the availability to the Water Mill itself.
Guide price in the region of £200,000
Belton Duffey Estate Agents & Valuers - April 2003

Plan from NIAS Journal Vol. 2 No. 3

Old millstones inlaid into the mill house patio 2003

Snettisham Millers
page

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

1626: Thomas Stonne

1800: Present mill built

1800 - 1836: Robert Chapman

December 1816 - February 1817: T. Horner

Pigot's 1830: Robert Chapman

White's 1836: Robert Chapman

Pigot's 1839: John Chapman

Census 1841: John Chapman

7th June 1844: John Chapman died

White's 1845: Sarah Chapman (John's widow)

1850: Stephen Butcher (Sarah's father)

Census 1851: Elizabeth Sarah Chapman (34), miller employing 1 (Sarah had 3 sons and 2 daughters)

1857: Elizabeth Sarah Chapman married William Wright

1863: Edwin Butcher, Greenwich Pensioner - Royal Marines Portsmouth 1830 - 1852 (Sarah's brother)

Tuesday 2nd June 1863: Mill sold at auction

6th December 1863: Stephen Butcher died

Census 1863: William Wright

1868: Mill machinery improved and granary and waggon store built

1871: Mill sold by Styleham le Strange family to William T. Brown of Gedney

1877: Mill sold to Edward Green (later Sir Edward) - industrialist from Yorkshire

Census 1881: William Wright

Kelly's 1883: William Wright married Elizabeth Chapman (John's widow) 2 daughter's + 1 between marriages

Kelly's 1892: William Wright, miller

1895: Edwin Butcher died aged 83, buried 15th February

Kelly's 1896: John Whitrod

January 1901: Elizabeth Wright (Chapman) died aged 86 in Docking Workhouse, buried 12th January 1901

1902: William Wright died Docking Union Workhouse aged 85

Kelly's 1912: John Whitrod

Kelly's 1922: William Morley

Kelly's 1925: Thomas Elliott Hodge

Kelly's 1937: Thomas Elliott Hodge

1949: Thomas Hodge sold the mill and moved to Scotland

L.D. Barnes - various alterations including garden landscaping

Mrs. Dixon-Spain - later married Dr. Parrymore. Gardener's cottage built adjoining the mill house

Norfolk CC report 1969: Storage use. Original machinery survives

1978: Mrs.Parrymore died

F.R. Easton

1979: Mill bought by Robin and Audrey Nott for restoration

1984: Mill back in operational order

1995: Mill sold

April 2003: Mill advertised for sale by Belton Duffey of Kings Lynn at a guide price of £200,000

Lynn News Village Supplement 19th April 2004: Report that village's Watermill & Heritage Centre Steering Committee had made an application to the Lottery Fund for some £300,000 to go towards purchase and restoration of the mill.

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 01263 587564 or

Nat Grid Ref TF68083346

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