Artist's impression by Nick Walmsley 1998
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Hoveton St John
Belaugh postmill |
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Artist's impression by Nick Walmsley 1998 |
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Hoveton St John post mill stood to the north of the village and was also known as Belaugh Mill. The parish boundary ran through the mill site but the mill was on the Hoveton side. The mill had a two storey roundhouse and a twin fantail. The sails powered two pairs of stones and a steam engine ran a further pair of 4ft stones. When the machinery was advertised for sale after the fire, items for sale included a cast iron windshaft indicating the mill was probably using patent sails. The wallower was also made from cast iron. |
A newspaper advert of 1872 indicated that William Cadge had been using the mill for salt manufacture and John Martin was using it for manufacturing artificial manure. |
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Wright, Edward (of Postwick) |
Elizabeth Bunton, wife of John Bunton of Thorp, near Norwich Martha Thaxter, sister of said Elizabeth Bunton. |
| Windmill commonly called Belaugh Mill and land wheron it stands containing about a Rood in Hoveton St. John and also Windmill in Postwick to Elizabeth Bunton aand Martha Thaxter to be equially divided between them. Died at Thorp Will proved March 11, 1765 |
Michael Cadge snr married Elizabeth Goulder at Woodbastwick on 14th March 1815 |
Charles Davy of Wroxham, Farmer, having assigneds his Estate & Effects to Mr. Michael Cadge of Hoveton, Miller ... Norfolk Chronicle - 1st March 1823 |
Hoveton St. John & Belaugh |
The BANKRUPTCY ACT, 1861 |
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| Dated 12 August 1867 | Hotson & Furness Of Long Stratton Solicitors to the Trustee |
| Norfolk News - 17th August 1867 | |
Hoveton Mill Near Wroxham Bridge |
Situations Vacant |
Situations Vacant |
To Millers & Bakers WANTED at Michaelmas next, a MAN to work a Post Windmill. He must also thoroughly understand the Baking Business as well. Address, A. B. Wroxham Castle near Norwich, Norfolk Norfolk News - 16th September 1871 |
Miscellaneous WANTED to purchase, a Four-horse-power STEAM ENGINE to drive a pair of Millstones, in good working order. A Portable Engine off the carriages or one to take up little room most suitable. Address stating price etc. to A. B., Post Office, Hoveton St. John, Norwich. Norfolk News - 25th November 1871 |
Belaugh Mill |
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Henry Paddle's business card c.1880 |
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Mill site plan c.1880 redrawn by Nick Walmsley |
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Henry Paddle c.1880 |
Hoveton St. John, Norfolk |
Most of the information about Hoveton Mill came from Harry Apling (what a remarkable researcher he was!) but being Hoveton born and bred I 'adopted' it about 30 years and more ago when I was a young teenager. My late uncle recalled that the roundhouse of the mill was still in existence in the 1930s, and some of the buildings of the 'artificial fertilizer factory' that the Cadges tried to make money from were existence as late as the 1970s. About five years ago I spoke to an elderly lady who was descended from the Cadges and she confirmed that the last miller was a real old rogue. Of course, the mill was burnt down on purpose shortly after the big new steam mill was built on the Hoveton river bank at Wroxham Bridge, and Norwich Union paid up rather than there be a scandal. It is pretty obvious from the list of items and equipment that were auctioned after the fire that anything of any value was removed from the mill before the fire!
My own subsequent researches into Hoveton Mill based on what records we still have lead me to think it was very similar to the post mill at nearby Horning probably built around the same time and by the same millwright. the only difference was the fact that Hoveton Mill had twin fantails - and that suggests that it was built by the same millwright who built Happisburgh_Mill. The strange thing about all the post mills in NE Norfolk is their remarkable similarity, and unique features like the wide 'verandah' porches: the last of the mills to survive was that at Catfield, built in 1774 by the millwright John Bowen, and I'd reckon that he built Hoveton, Horning and Happisburg as well.
Funnily enough, like Hoveton Mill, Horning_Mill was demolished in the year a steam mill was built on the staithe below it. "The Story of a Norfolk Village" published in 1941 records that even in 1879 there was a movement in Horning to save the mill from demolition - if this had happened it would have been the earliest case of 'preservation' in this country, predating the preservation of Bidston Mill in Cheshire by 15 years.
My family has had quite a lot of mill connections: we've been in Norfolk over 700 years (we did keep importing new blood I hasten to add!). My great great grandfather built the surviving drainage mill on the Horning marshes which is still called "Old Neave's Mill" after him, and he may have had something to do with the Turf Fen Mill as well. My grandfather's cousin, Roy Worts, was the last miller at Sutton_Mill when it stopped work by wind after being struck by lightning in 1942.
My original 'artists impression' of Hoveton Mill with the 'artificial fertilizer works' now hangs in Mill Farm at Hoveton, but it also featured on a calendar seven or so years ago.
Nick Walmsley - 26th July 2007 |
I am a direct descendent of the rogue who burned the mill !! My elderly cousin Marsley Grinter who still lives in Lowestoft told me the story of my great, great granddad Harry Paddle some time ago. My name was Heather Ann Paddle and I am descended from Harry Paddle who's son Walter Thurtle Paddle was my grandfather's father. My Granddad was Reginald Paddle from Beccles and my father was Edward James Paddle. Thanks so much for giving me some great info for my genealogy research. I am always looking for anything regarding the family such as postcards showing the Mill or the Little Billingsgate Fish market in Beccles that Harry Paddle also owned. |
Sad news I'm afraid. A month ago the miller's house at Hoveton was demolished. Planning permission has been granted for a 'farmhouse-style' replacement. This means that the entire site is now flat, apart from Mill Farm which survives next door. I alerted Hoveton Parish Council that an archaeological dig should be undertaken before building commenced as it is an historic site. They agreed and it will come up for discussion at the next Council Meeting in a weeks time. Meanwhile North Norfolk District Council have, so I believe, put a stop on the development going ahead until investigations can be undertaken.
Nick Walmsley - 17th June 2010 |
1761: Edward Wright, miller Faden's map 1797: Belaugh Mill
White's 1845: Michael Cadge, corn miller
White's 1854: Michael Cadge, miller & seed merchant |
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 07836 675369 or
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| Nat Grid Ref TG 30011882 |
Copyright © Jonathan Neville 2007 |