Norfolk Mills - Honingham tower windmill

Honingham towermill had a four storey tarred red brick tower that was 38 ft to the curb and 23 ft. in diameter at the base. The ground floor had two doors. The Norfolk boat shaped cap held gallery and fantail. Two pairs of patent sails were used to drive two pairs of stones. By 1971 the mill had become derelict, the sails and cap had gone but the cap's base frame along with the gallery, windshaft, brakewheel and some of the machinery remained.

Brake wheel:- Iron, largest seen, 10 ft. diameter with wooden cogs.
Upright shaft:- "Graft" shaft of iron and wood. Had an octagon pine section on the first floor only and was of cast iron above. The journal of the cast iron shaft was split, with a brass bush and a wooden shim and was wedged into the sole plate with wood. The joint in the cast iron shaft was by pin coupling, cast in. The flange was round, with three D-bosses and three pins.
Rex Wailes - c.1980

4 storey brick tarred tower with two opposite doors
Gallery to cap
Wooden clasp arm great spur wheel with wooden cogs
Small wooden gear wheel with wooden cogs take-off for drive to drum
Only one beam with bearing for stone nut
Underdriven
Octagonal wooden shaft on stone floor only
Above, shaft, wallower, brake wheel with wooden cogs & windshaft all cast iron
Harry Apling - c.1980

c.1982

TO MILLERS or MEALMEN,

HONINGHAM MILLS

TO BE LET

And may be Entered upon at Midsummer next,

ALL those capital WATER_CORN_MILLS, driving three pairs of Stones, with flour Apparatus, &c. with Steam Engine attached. – Also a capital Brick Tower Windmill, driving two pairs of Stones, with patent Sails, &c.
A capital Dwelling-house, with yards, gardens, stabling, sheds, and cottages, with every convenience attached. About 18 Acres of excellent Arable and Meadow Land adjoining, may be had if required.
The Mills are capable of manufacturing 8 lasts of Corn per week on an average of the year, and are very eligibly situated for Trade, adjoining the Turnpike road, in a good Wheat country, about half way between the city of Norwich and Market Dereham, from each about seven miles.
Apply to Mr. Utton, Bracondale, Norwich; or to Mr. Lock, Engineer, Post-office, Norwich.
Letters to be post-paid.
Norfolk Chronicle - 22nd & 29th April & 6th May 1837

Philip Rolph, son of owner Aubrey Rolph, found an Iceni coin hoard in a field opposite the mill

BROADLAND DISTRICT COUNCIL Planning permission J. Smith, Quarry House, Main Road, Honingham Recd. 3 February 1980 No, 80.0282 Honingham: The Old Mill, Grange Farm 1. Change of Use of disused Windmill to Dwelling 2. Building Operations: Extension to form living accommodation
Date 15 April 1980	B. R. Grayling Chief Executive and Clerk

Conversion well on the way, chalet built alongside with access to the tower on the ground and first floors.

South door to tower and also loading door above it converted to full length windows.

North door leads to garden.

Floor levels have been altered slightly.

Oil fired central heating.

Spiral staircase to second & third floors, ladder to fourth floor with trap doors to conserve heat.

On ground floor of tower cast iron sprattle beam (Y frame) between two main beams - supporting upright shaft bearing - has T. SMITHDALE NORWICH

i.e. between 1853 and 1879 - evidently a replacement.

Harry Apling - 4th July 1981

In 1981 John Smith, a builder, built a two bedroom house beside the mill and linked this to the mill with an arched brick hallway.

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

White's 1854: Howard Reeve, farmer
White's 1854: William Reeve, farmer, plumber & glazier

Kelly's 1896: Mrs. Emma Millet & Frederick Cullum Millett, millers (water) & farmers

Bryant's map 1826: Windmill

Greenwood's map 1834: Windmill

White's 1836: William Lewin, miller

April 1837: Mill advertised to be let along with Honingham watermill

White's 1845: Robert Johnson Neeve, miller

White's 1854: Robert Johnson Neeve, miller

1858: Robert Johnson Neeve, miller

Harrod's 1863: Edward Sendall, miller

Harrod's 1868: Edward Sendall, miller

1872: Stephen Sendall, miller & farmer

1878: Stephen Millett, miller

Kelly's 1879: Stephen Millett, miller & farmer

White's 1883: Stephen Millett, miller, farmer & corn merchant

1888: Stephen Millett, miller

1890: Mrs. Emma Millet & Frederick Cullum Millett, millers & farmers

Kelly's 1892: Mrs. Emma Millet & Frederick Cullum Millett, millers (wind & water) & farmers

1926: Mill derelict

Karl Wood painting 1932: tower with cap, windshaft & fanstage

14th December 1975: Machinery removed by John Lawn, millwright and probably sent to Leicestershire

c.1979: Aubrey O. Rolph, Grange Farm, owner, died

January 1980: John Smith, builder, commissioned architect’s drawings of derelict tower

15th April 1980: Planning permission for change of use from windmill to dwelling granted by Broadland DC

O. S. map 1985: WIndmill

O. S. map 1974: WIndmill

1980: Mill linked to a new chalet house built adjacent by John Smith, builder