One who had more difficulty paying off his debts was Thomas de Hoo in Humbleyard. Thomas de Hoo and his son, William, fell into debt with William Gunthorpe in 1373 for an amount of £300. The inquisition revealed that their property in Mulbarton possessed “poor wheat worth 40s” and “a broken-down windmill worth nothing and lacking mill-stones.” The lack of capital and property made paying off debt nearly impossible and left no funds for the repair of the windmill. The addition of windmills supplemented the work provided by watermills. Although, the maintenance costs of a windmill differed depending on wind strength, the windmill breaking down still highlights the expense of owning a mill. If the owner fell into debt, the mill itself would suffer.
Medieval Ingenuity in Fourteenth Century English Milling in Middlesex, Norfolk, and Northumberland Counties - Brett Pelham - University of Central Florid - 2017