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c.1900 |
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Gt. Yarmouth North Denes
Greengrass postmill No. 10 |
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c.1900 |
North Denes post mill No. 10 stood to the north of Mill Road at a place known as North Common in Runham to the north of Gt. Yarmouth. Mill Road was later renamed Hamilton Road with the mill site being on the corner of Hamilton Road and Windsor Avenue The mill was also known as Greengrass Black Mill and stood over a 2 storey roundhouse with the centre of the roof being built up vertically. Power to the two pairs of French burr stones was supplied by 4 double shuttered sails, each with 7 bays of 3 shutters. The mill was turned to wind by a 6 bladed fan on a tail pole with tandem car wheels. A dwelling house with stables, granaries etc. were also on the site.
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The mill was reassembled having been moved 1½ miles from the North Denes in 1850 where it was (No._7A) and apparently was the last standing windmill east of the river in Yarmouth.
While on its earlier site, the mill was white painted by the Trinity Brethren as a guide for sailers and after being moved it was painted or tarred black. |
There is a persistent folk-tale that one of the mills from the Denes was removed bodily in 1850 and re-erected on a site on the North Common about 1½ miles away and known as Greengrass' mill. The story is told of the Market Mill and of Hovell's Mill (No._7A) but I have been unable to verify the truth. The fast growing building rate on the Denes had by 1850 operated to the disadvantage of the mills there. Certainly one miller decided to move out to the open North Common. John Baverley obtained a lease of land from the Corporation in 1851 and covenanted to build "a good substantial wind corn mill" and a house there.
(Now the north-west cornerm of the junction of Hamilton Road and Windsor Avenue. Before 1855 the lease had passed to Wm,. Beevor and by 1865 the tenant is Thomas Greengrass who eventually owned the mill, which was then run by his son, T. Greengrass Junior. This was the last standing mill in Yarmouth east of the river and was demolished in 1907. Yarmouth Windmills on the Denes, Norfolk Archaeology, C. G. Rye - 1970 |
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Black tarred mill - c.1901 |
Skinner's mill (No._4A) . . . This stood upon Southampton Place (and was removed some state to the North Denes and known as Greengrass Mill)
Edmund Freeman's mill, Crown Place (late Hovell's) (No._7A) . . . (It was said by some when the Greengrass (North Denes) mill was sold in 1907 that it formerly stood at Chapel Denes, Crown Place and removed about 1850) Local Wind-Mills, Mercury, H. B. Johnson - January 1928 |
. . . (Greengrass mill) . . . which has just been bought by the Corporation, was removed bodily from its former postion, between Trafalgar Road and Crown Road, where Yaxley's stables are, to the site it now occupies.
Yarmouth Independant - April 1907 |
Article by 'Gerald Bure'. After reminiscences of playing round Greengrass' mill as a boy, he continues: "It was brought through the town on rollers by teh bold millwrights of the Stolworthy's from between Southampton Place and Middle Market Road and re-erected on the North Denes. We learned too that for many years after its removalk to the site, the Trinity Brethren had kept the mill painted white to serve as a day mark for vessels entereing the Cockle Gat.
Yarmouth Independant - March 1948 |
The site is accepted as one of the old mill sites and usually called Hovell's Mill.
Gt. Yarmouth & District Archaeological Society, George Rye - April 1970 |
To be let, with immediate possession, on the North Denes, Great Yarmouth. A Capital Post Windmill, driving two pairs of stones; with a good Dwelling House, Stable, Granaries etc. The above Mill stands clear for wind in every direction and is a most desirable situation.
Apply to William Beevor, Miller & Baker, Gaol St., Great Yarmouth. Norfolk Chronicle - 26th May 1855 |
To Let
A Capital POST WIND-MILL with two pairs of the best French Burr Stones, Round House and all Going Gears complete, situated on the North Denes, Great Yarmouth, with Granary and Stables, Piggeries, Fowl house and nearly new built Dwelling house, with a large walled-in Yard, stands well winded; at a moderate rent. Enquire of Mr. Wm. Burns (Amended on 16th June to BEEVOR), Great Yarmouth or North_Walsham_Mills. Norfolk News - 9th & 16th June 1860 |
POOR RATE 1860
St. Nicholas Ward |
3rd Quarter. Made 2 November at 1s. 2d. |
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| No. 328 | Occupier: SMITH, Edward Owner: Beevor, William |
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House,
Mill & Stable. Caister Road, East Side Gross Estimated Rental Rateable Value |
£30 £24 |
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Rate at 1s. 2d. in the pound |
£ 1. 8s. | ||
To Let
With Immediate Possession or at Michaelmas next A CAPITAL POST WINDMILL with two pairs of best French Burr Stones, roundhouse and all the going gears complete in perfect good order, situate on the North Denes, Great Yarmouth. Together with Granary, Stables, Piggeries, Fowl house, Dwelling house with large walled-in yard. Stands well winded. At a moderate rental. A first rate chance for a working miller with a small capital. Inquire of Mr. Beevor at the Mill or 84 Corn Exchange, Norwich. Norfolk News - 26th July 1862 |
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1907 |
The last of the old Yarmouth windmills was sold on Wednesday under the hammer for demolition and the structure, the old Beach mill on the North Denes, with sails and stones realised only £7. The mill dated from 1796, and in 1850 was bodily removed from its original site, in consequence of the growth of the town, to the Denes. Once more building developments have over-taken it and having been purchased by the Corporation it was doomed to demolition to make room for Yarmouth's garden suburb.
Yarmouth Mercury - 12th October 1907 |
. . . the last to be demolished which was on the North Denes and owned by Mr. Thomas Greengrass. It formerly stood on a site on Nelson Road North between Southampton Place and Middle Market Road (No._4A). When erected upon the North Denes the Trinity Brethren kept it painted white as a guide for sailors coming through the Cockle Gat. |
Greengrass post mill was an old white mill kept painted as a seamark by the Admiralty. It stood on the site of the present copastguard station and was later moved 2½ miles to North Denes. |
The last of the old Yarmouth windmills was sold on Wednesday under the hammer fro demolition and the structure, the old Beach mill on the North Denes, with sails and stones, realised only £7. The mill dated from 1796 and in 1850 was bodily removed from its original site, in consequence of the growth of the town, to the Denes. Once more building developments have overtaken it and having been purchased by the Corporation it was doomed to demolition to make room for Yarmouth's garden subhurb. |
A Norfolk Archaeology manuscript mentioned William Beevor, as being a one time miller and the same document also states that the mill was rebuilt as a drainage mill, although due to the postmill design, this would appear unlikely. |
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O. S. Map 1904 Courtesy of NLS map images |
1796: Mill built as No. 7A
1851: Mill relocated to North Denes and reassembled for John Baverley after he obtained a lease 1851: John Baverley, miller 1854: William Beevor, miller, Gaol Street 1855: William Beevor, miller & baker - also Ebridge towermill May 1855: Mill advertised to be let 1856: William Wall, miller 1858: William Wall, miller June 1860: Mill advertised to be let Poor Rate 1860: Owner: William Beevor; Occupier: Edward Smith, miller July 1862: Mill advertised to be let White's 1864: J. G. Rumball, corn miller, North Denes 1865: Thomas Greengrass, miller 1872: Thomas Greengrass, miller 1875: Thomas Greengrass, miller Kelly's 1879: Thomas Greengrass, miller, North Denes mill White's 1883: Thomas Greengrass jnr, corn miller, North Denes, and pork butcher, 106 Caister Road O.S. map 1885: Windmill O.S. map 1890: Windmill 1890: Thomas Greengrass jnr, corn miller 1892: Thomas Greengrass jnr, corn miller Kelly's 1896: Thomas Greengrass jnr, miller, North Denes mill Kelly's 1900: Thomas Greengrass jnr, miller, North Denes mill O.S. Map 1904: Windmill (Corn) 1904: Thomas Greengrass jnr, corn miller 1906: Mill ceased working Wednesday 9th October 1907: Mill sold at auction to Yarmouth Corporation for £7 to be demolished |
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