One of the smaller mills in the county, Thurning watermill was technically the first mill on the River Bure, being only two miles from the source of Craymere Beck, which in turn flows into the Bure just West of Town Close. It was built of brick, weatherboard and pantiles. Back in the 1970s it was one on the most magical and mystical places imaginable. However, as it had not been used since before the second word war the whole building had become severely dilapidated.

In 1972 the majority of the machinery was intact including part of the waterwheel along with the pit wheel, woodem lineshaft, numerous wooden cog wheels, iron pulleys and two sets of stones and a flour dresser. A wooden lineshaft transmission system (as opposed to a spurwheel) was extremely rare and is so far the only one recorded in the county. The owner had retiled the roof but the tiles soon come off again in a gale. He had also removed the nearby sheds as he considered them dangerous.

The mill took its water from a large almost lake-like mill pond covering several acres, which by the 1970s was almost completely grown over. As there was relatively little water available, best use of the resource was made by channelling the water through a narrow gap into the maximum drop available. As a result Thurning Mill had the largest diameter waterwheel in the county - 30 feet although it was only 2 feet wide. In times of excessive water, any overspill was allowed to bypass the mill via a small underground tunnel that emptied into the beck below the mill.

Thurning watermill worked in conjunction with Thurning_towermill during the first quarter of the 1800s. From the 1826 auction details it would appear that each the mill was powering two sets of stones. Bryant's map of 1826 shows shows the windmill just to the north of the watermill and marks them as Union Mills, which would infer that they were using a joint power system or that they worked as a pair. The former is unlikely but the latter is quite plausible.

The story goes that...
Originally two brothers built the mill as a windmill but they then argued and fell out. One remained a miller and the other took to farming and he planted all the nearby trees in order to take the wind out of the mill's sails. Thus eventually the miller had to rebuild the mill as a watermill.

Tithe Award 1845
Map, C. Burcham, Surveyor, Lynn 1843
Owner: Thomas Armes
Occupier: William Reynolds

It is said that in the early part of the 20th century the mill was known as Crymer's Mill, after Crymer's Beck (White's 1836) or was it the other way round?
However it was known as Thurning Mill both before and after that time.

Estate at THURNING
To be Sold by Auction By Mr. B. Barcham
At the Black Boys Inn, Aylsham On Monday 14 August 1826 at 3 o'c
Unless before disposed of by Private Contract

Lot 1. Messuage... in the occupation of Mr. Samuel Johnson, the proprietor.

Lot 2. A Water Corn Mill & Wind_Mill, lately erected on the most improved construction & containing four pairs of stones & two flour dressers, with stable, cowhouse & other outhouses & 27 acres or thereabouts of Arable land, meadow, wood & ozier ground adjoining. Also a Messuage & garden at a short distance from the Mill. The buildings & part of the lands in this Lot are in the occupation of William Reynolds, tenant from year to year & Possession of the remainder may be had at Michaelmas next.
Apply to Mr. J. B. Jackson, of Cley near Holt, the Auctioneer at Sherringham or Copeman & Parmeter of Aylsham of whose office Maps of the Property may be inspected.
N.B. Purchasers may be accommodated with considerable portions of the purchase monies.
Norfolk Chronicle - 29th July, 5th & 12th August 1826

Estate at THURNING
To be Sold by Private Contract

Lot 1. Messuage... in the occupation of Mr. Samuel Johnson, the proprietor.

Lot 2. A Water Corn Mill & Wind_Mill, lately erected on the most improved construction & containing four pairs of stones & two flour dressers, with stable, cowhouse & other outhouses & 27 acres or thereabouts of Arable land, meadow, wood & ozier ground adjoining. Also a Messuage & garden at a short distance from the Mill. The buildings & part of the lands in this Lot are in the occupation of William Reynolds, tenant from year to year & Possession of the remainder may be had at Michaelmas next.
Apply to Mr. J. B. Jackson, of Cley near Holt or Copeman & Parmeter of Aylsham of whose office Maps of the Property may be inspected.
N.B. Purchasers may be accommodated with considerable portions of the purchase monies.
Norfolk Chronicle - 2nd & 9th September 1826

Estate at THURNING
To be Sold by Private Contract
A Capital Messuage etc. ...
This Estate was in the possession of the late Mr. Samuel Johnson, the Proprietor. for many years ...

Also a WATER CORN MILL & WINDMILL, lately erected on the most improved construction & containing four pair of Stones, two Flour Dressers, with stable, cowhouse & other outhouses & 27 acres or thereabouts of Arable land, Meadow, Wood & Ozier Ground adjoining. Also a Messuage & Garden at a short distance from the Mill.
The Buildings & part of the Lands in this Lot are in the occupation of William Reynolds & possession of the remainder may be had at Michaelmas next.
N.B. The above Estates are in Thurning which is in an adjoining parish to Melton Constable (except for about four acres being n Briston) & all the Tenants hold from year to year.
Apply to Mr. J. B. Jackson, of Cley near Holt or Copeman & Parmeter of Aylsham of whose office Maps of the Property may be inspected.
N.B. Purchasers may be accommodated with considerable portions of the purchase monies.
Norfolk Chronicle - 28th April, 12th May, 21st & 28th July & 4th August 1827

Estates at THURNING
To be Sold by Private Contract on very reasonable terms
A Capital Messuage etc. ...
This Estate was in the possession of the late Mr. Samuel Johnson, the Proprietor ...

Also a Water Corn Mill & Windmill, lately erected on the most improved construction & containing four pair of Stones, two Flour Dressers, with Stable, Cow house & other Outbuildings & 27 acres or thereabouts of Arable land, Meadow, Wood & Ozier Ground adjoining.
Also a Messuage & Garden at a short distance from the Mill. The Buildings & part of the Lands in this Lot are in the occupation of William Reynolds & possession of the remainder may be had at Michaelmas next ...
Apply to Mr. J. B. Jackson, of Cley near Holt or Copeman & Parmeter of Aylsham of whose office Maps of the Property may be inspected.
N.B. Purchasers may be accommodated with considerable portions of the purchase monies.
Norfolk Chronicle - 10th August 1828

Estates in THURNING etc.
To be Sold by Auction by B. Barcham At the Black Boys, Aylsham, on Monday 1st June 1829 at 3 o'c (Unless sooner Disposed of by Private Contract)
Lot. A Capital MESSUAGE ...
This Estate was in the possession of the late Mr. Samuel Johnson, the Proprietor for many years previous to his decease ...

Lot 2. A Water Corn Mill & Windmill, lately erected on the most improved construction & containing four pair of stones, two flour dressers, with stable, cow house & other outhouses & 27 acres or thereabouts of Arable land, Meadow, Wood & Ozier Ground adjoining.
Also the Messuage & Garden at a short distance from the Mill.
The Buildings & part of the Lands in this Lot are in the occupation of William Reynolds & possession of the remainder may be had at Michaelmas next.
N.B. Thew above Lots (1 - 4) are in Thurning which is an adjoining parish to Melton Constable (except about 4four acres lying in Briston).
N.B. Purchasers may be accommodated with considerable portions of the purchase monies.
Norfolk Chronicle - 30th May 1829

It would appear that in 1841 William Reynolds jnr who was then 17, was learning the trade of milling from Joseph Baker, miller at East_Runton_towermill, as the 1841 census shows him living with the Baker family in the mill house.

Tithe Award 1845
Map, C. Burcham, Surveyor, Lynn 1843
Owner: Thomas Armes
Occupier: William Reynolds

Wiliam & Robert Reynolds. Thurning, millers.
Deed of Assignment 13 October 1856 for benefit of Creditors.
Norfolk Chronicle - 18th October 1856

To be Sold by Auction by Mr. J. J. Darken on Friday 26 July 1861 at the Feathers Hotel in Holt at 4 o'c. Lots 2 to 8
In BRISTON & THURNING
Lot 2. A Messuage or Dwelling House with productive Garden adjoining, Watermill driving two pairs of stones, with large waterwheel in good repair & plentiful supply of water, Windmill, Cart Lodge, & other Outbuildings together with 30a. 1r. 19p. of Arable & Pasture LAND adjoining in the occupation of Chester Leman. This lot abuts upon Briston Common & land of James Gay, Esq. The Mills are capable of doing an extensive & lucrative business.
Freehold.
The above described property is offered for sale by the directions of the Trustees under the Will of Thomas Armes, decd.
Apply to Messrs. Wilkinson & Slann, Solrs. or the Auctioneers, Holt.
Norfolk Chronicle & Norfolk News - 13th July 1861

Thurning Mill was bought by a speculative builder in the 1980s, the machinery and maybe much of the magic was removed as it was converted into residential accommodation before being sold on.

Bryant's map 1826: Union Mills (wind & water)

1826: Sameul Johnson owner; William Reynolds, tenant miller

July 1826: Mill advertised for sale by auction

September 1826: Mill advertised for sale by private contract in the occupation of William Reynolds

1827: Samuel Johnson died

April 1827: Mill advertised for sale by private contract in the occupation of William Reynolds

August 1828: Mill advertised for sale by private contract in the occupation of William Reynolds

May 1829: Mill advertised for sale by auction along with windmill

Cary's atlas 1832: Union Mills

White's 1836: William Reynolds, miller

O.S. map 1838: Watermill

Tithe Award 1845: Owner: Thomas Armes; Occupier: William Reynolds

White's 1845: William Reynolds, miller

1846: William Reynolds

Norwich index of wills 1852: William Reynolds, miller

1853: William & Robert Reynolds

White's 1854: William Reynolds, corn miller

Craven's 1856: William & Robert Reynolds, millers

13th October 1856: William & Robert Reynolds - Deed of Assignment for the benefit of creditors

1861: Chester Leman, miller

July 1861: Mill advertised for sale by auction along with windmill by Trustees of Thomas Armes

Kelly's 1879: John Sexton, foreman miller to William Pegg of Hindolveston towermill

1879: John Sexton, foreman miller to William Pegg of Hindolveston towermill

1890: William Pegg, miller

Kelly's 1908: William Pye, miller to Henry Slaughter of Hindolveston, Thurning mill (letters via Briston)

1939: Mill no longer in use

Norfolk CC Report 1969: Disused, dilapidated and beyond economical repair

1980s: Machinery removed by speculative builder during conversion to residential use

c.1986: Mill along with 2½ acres offered for sale by Savills with a guide price of £170,000

2003: Family residence