Salters Lode smock mill was originally built as drainage mill by the Drainage Commissioners but was later converted to a corn mill, thus space within the mill was very restricted. The mill was situated quite close to the confluence of Well Creek and the Great Ouse. The mill had a boat shaped cap and used one pair of single shuttered patent sails and one pair of common sails to drive 3 pairs of stones. The four storey, eight sided mill had tarred vertical weatherboarding was set on a single storey octagonal brick base with sloping sides. The mill had no fantail and a tailpole with steps on each side was used to turn the mill into the wind The wooden rim of the brakewheel was held on with staples.

Converted marsh mill in Cambridgeshire tradition
Tarred vertical weatherboarding
Dead curb

Tail pole

Sails:- 1 pr.common, 1 pr. single shuttered spring
Brakewheel:- Crudest & smallest seen & has smallest number of cogs. 58 of 4½in. pitch & 2½in. face
Brake on separate wooden rim to brakewheel
Wallower:- Clasp arm trundle wheel. 7ft. 7ins. diameter with 62 teeth
Great spur wheel:- largest wooden one seen, 9ft, 2ins. diameter
Worked smutter & grindstone
Rex Wailes

... the Salter's Lode mill converted from drainage to corn grinding at some date unknown.

Norfolk Windmills. Part II. Drainage Mills - Rex Wailes

I am an Englishman, born and raised in Leighton Buzzard, where my mother and father moved just before the outbreak of WWII. My mother was Elvina King, and she was born in the Mill House at Salters Lode. Her father was Arthur King who I now take to be the person as that named on your website. He was my grandfather, whom I never knew because he was killed in France in 1918.

Jim Vincent - 22nd June 2007

O.S. map 1824: Windmill

Bryant's map 1826: Windmill

c.1850: Mill converted from drainage to corn milling

1853: William King, miller

White's 1854: William King, corn miller

White's 1864: William King, corn miller, Salters Lode

Kelly's 1879: William King, miller, Salters Lode

White's 1883: William King, miller (wind) Salters Lode

Kelly's 1892: William King, miller (wind) Salters Lode

Kelly's 1896: Arthur King, miller (wind) Salters Lode

Kelly's 1900: Arthur King, miller (wind) Salters Lode

Kelly's 1904: Arthur King, miller (wind) Salters Lode

Kelly's 1912: Arthur King, miller (wind) Salters Lode

Kelly's 1916: Arthur King, miller (wind) Salters Lode

Kelly's 1922: Arthur King, miller (wind) Salters Lode

1924: Mill ceased working

Kelly's 1925: Arthur King, miller (wind) Salters Lode

1926: Mill derelict

c.1930: Sails removed

Karl Wood painting 1933: Mill derelict with cap & windshaft but no sails

1949: Mill derelict

Copyright © Jonathan Neville 2004