Salthouse towermill


c.1910
c.1910

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Salthouse towermill stood on the marsh beside the lane known as Mill Drift. It was not a particularly large mill and only possessed one pair of double sails, the other pair being single.

It is not known when the mill was built but it is not shown on Bryant's map of 1826, although it does appear as a corn mill on O.S. map of 1886.


Hand coloured postcard c.1912
Hand coloured postcard c.1912

1843  Feb 7th.  John Dewing Jarvis, a miller, single man, son of Edward Jarvis, miller, marr. Sarah Ann Perfrement spinster d. of Samuel Perfrement labourer.  in Salthouse.


The 1851 census records show that 7 individuals of varying ages were lodging with the Jarvis family. The menfolk were working on the new clay bank that was to form part of the sea defences.


The Salthouse marriage register of 21st February 1894, shows William Parsons snr miller, as father of the groom William Parsons jnr (55). William Parsons snr was probably either a retired employee at the towermill or a former miller at Salthouse_smockmill, as he was probably in his seventies by the time of his farmer son's second marriage.


During the night of the great Rage of 28th November 1897, the miller, David Jarvis, stayed the night on the top floor of the mill, partly for shelter and partly to keep away from the vast number of rats that had joined him in the mill, also to escape the storm. The Jarvis family were millers in the village for several generations.


c.1911 c.1912
c.1911
c.1912

Towermill ruin c.1915
Towermill ruin c.1915

The Salthouse marriage register of 30th October 1901, shows William Braunton miller, as father of the bride Sarah Ann Braunton. William Braunton was probably an employee at the towermill.


The mill had presumably ceased to operate some time before the first World War as it was destroyed by the army using artillery c.1915 on the grounds that enemy aircraft could use it as a landmark. Bricks were later salvaged from the ruins and used to build a house called Ducklands in nearby Grout Lane.


Ordnance Survey Map 2005
Ordnance Survey Map 2005
Image reproduced under licence from Ordnance Survey

Ordnance Survey Map 1886
Ordnance Survey Map 1886
Image produced from the www.old-maps.co.uk service with permission of Landmark Information Group Ltd. and Ordnance Survey

My Great, Great, Grandfather is the George Ayton listed in the 1851 census as lodging at Salthouse mill.
He was employed as a banker/labourer working on the new clay bank to form part of the sea defences when reclaiming the marshland - this work was started in 1851.
Mike Hancock - 29th January 2010


Census 1841: Henry J. Stoney (25) miller
Hannah Stoney (20)
Hannah Harris Stoney (2½)

Kelly's 1845: John Jarvis, miller

Census 30th March 1851:

John Dewing Jarvis (36) b.Salthouse, master miller
Sara Ann Jarvis (36) b.Salthouse, dressmaker
Robert John Jarvis (7) b.Salthouse, scholar
Susanna Jarvis (6) b.Salthouse, scholar
Alice Phebe Jarvis (5) b.Salthouse, scholar
Edward Jarvis (3) b.Salthouse, scholar
George Ayton (26) b.Wymondham, banker & labourer (lodger)
Caroline Ayton (26) b.East Walton (lodger)
Maria Ayton (3) b.East Walton (lodger)
William Ayton (2) b.Stilton, Huntingdonshire (lodger)
Robert Ayton (1 mth) b.Lynn (lodger)
Joseph Iknow (46) b.Oulton, banker & labourer (lodger5)
John Bailey (24) b.Hickney, Lincolnshire, banker & labourer (lodger)


Census 7th April 1861: John D. Jarvis (46) b.Aylsham, master miller
Sarah A. Jarvis (47) b.Salthouse
Susanna Jarvis (16) b.Salhouse, straw bonnet maker
Alice I. Jarvis (14) b.Salthouse
Edward Jarvis (12) b.Salthouse
David Jarvis (9) b.Salthouse, scholar
John D. Jarvis (6) b.Salthouse, scholar
Georgianna Jarvis (2) b.Salthouse

Census 2nd April 1871: John D. Jarvis (56) b.Aylsham, miller
Sarah A. Jarvis (56) b.Salthouse
John Jarvis (16) b.Salthouse, scholar
Georgianna Jarvis (13) b.Salthouse

Census 3rd April 1881: John Jarvis (66) b.Aylsham, miller
Georgiana Jarvis (24) b.Salthouse

O.S. map 1886: Mill

Census 1891: John D. Jarvis (76) b.Aylsham, widower, retired miller;
Georgiana Jarvis (33) b.Salthouse, daur. unmrd., grocer. Both living in Cley Road

Census 1891: James Paul (31) b.Little Snoring, miller
Alice E. Paul (30) b.Stiffkey
Bertie Paul (8) b. Middleton
Ernie J. Paul (7) b. Cley
Agatha A. Paul (2) b.Salthouse
Gertrude S. Paul (10 mnths) b.Salthouse
All living in Cley Road

1892: David Jarvis

1897: David Jarvis

Census 31st March 1901:

David Jarvis (49) b.Salthouse, miller & farmer
Emma Jarvis (54) b.Theale, Berkshire
Arthur Jarvis (21) b.Stanwell, Middlesex, miller & farmer
Percival Jarvis (19) b.Stanwell, Middlesex, carpenter's apprentice

c.1915: Mill destroyed by artillery fire



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Copyright © Jonathan Neville 2004