Norfolk Mills - Swaffham Kidallsmill Farm post windmill

Swaffham
Kidallsmill Farm postmill

Swaffham Kidallsmill Farm post mill stood to the north east of the town on the west side of the Sporle Road. The mill stood on the site for at least 200 years, it was built over a roundhouse, with common sails and could well have used them all its working life, power being transmitted from them by a wooden windshaft and a wooden upright shaft to power French burr stones to grind wheat to flour, along with a flour mill and jumper. A single pair were in use in 1814 and two pairs by 1881, one pair being 4ft. 4ins. and the other pair 4ft.

Sale of Estate at Swaffham 6 March 1779
Lot V. A Piece of Land called the Seven Rood, lying in a Field called Sporle Field, near a Windmill.
Norfolk Chronicle - 20th February & 6th March 1779

To be Sold by Auction By WM. BURT On Monday August 15, 1814
At the Crown Inn. Swaffham at 4 o'c
The following ESTATE of the late Mr. William Spurrell, situate at Swaffham
Lot 1. Baking Office in the occupation of W. Kiddall
Lot 2. ...
Lot 3. A Post Windmill with pair of stones, situate in Sporle Field, an acre and a half of arable land, cottage and substantial granary. Copyhold, fine certain.
Enquire of Mr. Wright, Solr. Swaffham.
Norfolk Chronicle - 6th August 1814

Swaffham Parish Records POOR RATE 1838 Made 13 January 1838 at 1s. 3d. in the pound Lynn Streets
No. 185	Occupier Owner Mill, Sporle Road Gross Estimated Rental Rateable Value Rate at 1s. 3d. Amount to be collected	William Kiddall do £22. 10s. 18. 1. 2. 6 18s.

Tithe map 1843 - as redrawn by Harry Apling

Tithe Award 1843 Map, Newton & Woodrow, Norwich, 1843 Owner: William Kiddall Occupier: do
No. 572 No. 573	Windmill & yard Pightle	Pasture Pasture	0a. 0r. 29p. 0a. 2r. 34p. --------------- 0a. 3r. 23p.	10s. to Vicar

Swaffham Parish Records POOR RATE 1858 Made 9 April 1858 at 8d. in the pound
No. 106	Occupier Owner House & Mill, Mill Lane Gross Estimated Rental Rateable Value Rate at 8d.	W. S. Kiddall do £30. £24. 16s.

WILLIAM S. KIDALL, Deceased
All persons having any claims against the Estate of William Spurrell Kidall, late of Swaffham in the county of Norfolk, Miller and Farmer ... to send particulars ... to Mr. William Lack of Swaffham, aforesaid, one of the Executors or to me, the undersigned ...

A. Marcon,
Swaffham,
Solr. to the Executors.

Dated this 5th December 1866.
Lynn Advertiser - 8th December 1866

To Millers
To be Let with possession at Michaelmas next, a WIND MILL with two pairs of good French stones, flour mill and jumper, roundhouse (with new asphalte floor) capable of containing 70 quarters.
Apply to Mr. Philo, London Street, Swaffham.
Lynn Advertiser - 26th September 1868

WILLIAM SPURRELL KIDALL, Deceased
Notice to
... all persons having any claims upon or against the Estate of William Spurrell Kidall, late of Swaffham in the county of Norfolk, Miller and Farmer (who died on or about the 25th day of November 1866 and whose Will was duly proved in the District Registry at Norwich 1st April 1867 by William Lack of Swaffham in the said county, Harness maker, one of the executors named in the Will) ...

Thomas Palmer
Swaffham,
Solictor to the said executor.

Dated 26 May 1870.
Lynn Advertiser - 28th May & 4th June 1870

Swaffham Parish Records POOR RATE 1875 Made 10 May 1875 at 10d. in the pound
No. 163	Occupier Owner Wind mill, Mill Lane Gross Estimated Rental Rateable Value Farm, 249a. 1r. 15p. Gross Estimated Rental Rateable Value Rate at 10d. With other property	John Mallows Mrs. Kidall £9.. £5. 7s. 6d. £48. £43. 5s. £2. 4s. 6d.

Auction Mart, Swaffham
To be Sold by Auction by Robert Heyhoe
On Saturday October 1, 1881 the
WOOD and OTHER MATERIALS OF A
POST WINDMILL
The property of Mr. W. Newby, removed from Mrs. Kiddall's premises for convenience of sale.
Comprising pair of capital French burr millstones, 4 ft. 4 ins., pair of ditto 4 ft., 2 stone nuts, oak upright shaft, ditto wind shaft, ditto cross beam, 2 stocks, quantity of oak posts, ditto waether boarding, oak and deal beams, large quantity of iron bolts and other iron, ditto deal firewood, iron anchors, holdfasts, drain pipes, sundry bricks, several lots of wood useful for building purposes and otjher effects.
Lynn Advertiser - 1st October 1881

Notice to Debtors and Creditors All persons having any claim or demand upon the estate of JOHN MALLOWS late of Sporle road, Swaffham in the county of Norfolk, farmer ... to send particulars to Frances Mallows of Sporle road Swaffham aforesaid, widow, the administratrix of the said deceased or to me the undermentioned ...
Dated 16 October 1884	Edwd. M. Beloe, Solr. Kings Lynn.
Lynn Advertiser - 1st October 1881

KIDALL'S MILL, SPORLE ROAD, SWAFFHAM
Messrs. MILES & SON
Have received instructions from tjhe executors of the late Mr. Mallows to Sell by Auction on Monday October 6, 1884, all the LIVE & DEAD FARMING STOCK ...
Sale at Eleven o'c
Offices, Athenaeum Chambers, Kings Lynn.
Lynn Advertiser - 27th September 1884

1814: William Kiddall, baker

Kelly's 1879: Mrs. Kidall, Castleacre st., private resident
Kelly's 1879: John Mallows, farmer, Sporle Road

Ogilby's Britannia Plate 52, London to Wells - 1675: Windmill

February 1779: Mill mentioned in advert for sale of land

Faden's map 1797: Windmill

1814: William Spurrell, miller, died

August 1814: Mill advertised for sale by auction

1822: Ellen Kidall, miller & baker

O.S. map 1824: Windmill

Bryant's map 1826: Windmill

1830: Ellen Kidall, miller & baker

Carey's map 1832: Windmill

Greenwood's map 1834: Windmill

White's 1836: W. S. Kidall, corn miller; residing at Market place

Poor Rate 1838: Owner: William Kiddall; Occupier: William Kidall

Tithe Award 1843: Owner & occupier, William Kidall

White's 1845: W. S. Kidall, corn miller; residing at Market place

White's 1854: W. S. Kidall, corn miller; residing at Market place

Poor Rate 1858: Owner: William Spurrell Kiddall; Occupier: William Spurrell Kidall

White's 1864: William Kidall, corn miller & farmer, Castleacre st.

November 1866: William Spurrell Kidall, died

September 1868: Mill advertised to be let

Poor Rate 1875: Owner: Mrs. Kidall; Occupier: John Mallows

1881: Mill dismantled and bought from Mrs. Kidall by W. Newby

October 1881: Dismantled mill materials advertised for sale by auction

September 1884: Live & dead farming stock of John Mallows, deceased, advertised for sale by auction

c.1990: Ron Ashton purchased mill

c.1992: Mill roundhouse demolished and replaced by new building

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 01263 713658 or

Nat Grid Ref TF83050975

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