Cockley Cley had two postmills that were shown on a 1570 map but little else is known apart from the fact that the site of Mill Hill survived by name. A 1722 map of the same area does not show the mills.

At Cockley Cley Museum (& Iceni Village). Sir Peter Roberts.
Map of Cockley Cley by Philip ? 1722
For Sir Henry Bedingfield, Bart., showing his esteate (coloured on original)
Shows 'Mill Hill' nearly ¼ mile N.E. of church.

This continues on high ground for about 2 miles along & north of the road to Swaffham as 'Mill Hill Furlong'.
To south of Mill Hill enclosures 'Mill Furlon'.
Also a modern representation of a map of Cockley Cley as in 1570 shows two windmills (tower mills!) on Mill Hill site.
Gives Mill Furlong as 'Water Mill Furlong', but this must surely relate to the windmills. The watermill was on the river to the west below the village, where its border was Mill Common.
Harry Apling - 27th September 1981

Copyright © Jonathan Neville 2006