Norfolk Mills - Thornham composite windmill

Thornham
composite mill

c.1925

Thornham composite mill, built c.1880, was in Staithe Road just to the northwest of the village and was one of two mills at Thornham. The second postmill was at TF72954262 and was recorded on Faden's map of 1797.

The postmill buck was mounted on the curb of a single storey 6' 6" high red brick roundhouse that had a slight batter, rather than on a central post and presumably rotated into the wind via the curb. The roundhouse had an internal diameter of 11' 6" and the walls were 18" thick at the base and 15" at the kerb. The single pair of French burr stones was powered by 4 double shuttered sails, each having 5 bays of 3 and mounted on a wooden windshaft that was morticed to take the stocks and striking was via a rack and pinion. The entrance was via a leanto porch acessed from the ladder and the fantail was on a tailpole carriage set on two cartwheels.

Greenwood's map of 1834 shows two adjacent postmills at Ringstead the southern_mill and TF70534170) the former was advertised for sale and removal before Henry L'Strange Styleman le Strange built Ringstead towermill on the same site c.1840. It was reputed that the postmill was moved about 2 miles east to Beacon Hill in Thornham, although up until 1863 the Rate Book in Thornham only records John Crane as owning one mill in Staithe Road but by that year both mills were there. Thus the Ringstead postmill may have been assembled there in that year, becoming the composite mill.

c.1929

TO BE SOLD
THORNHAM

Wind Mill, one pair French burr stones, with flour mill complete.
Apply John Crane, Ringstead.
Lynn Advertiser - 2nd September 1898

I believe the windmill used to stand in a field between Long Wood and Beacon Hill but it was moved from there and taken down to the south end of the creek...here it stood and worked from about the 1880s onwards.
A Short Survey of the History of Thornham - Miss Rushmer, 1932

c.1930

At last I now know what the Thornham windmill looked like. been visiting the village since 1949, camping in the field adjacent to the Lifeboat Inn, owned then by Oswald & Olive Waterfield.

What an adventure strolling down Staithes Lane, single track with dense undergrowth & overhanging ancient trees, trampling bracken & fern to see the windmill walls, continuing along the lane the trees end and there ahead is the boathouse where Oswald had an open motor boat moored in the creek, beyond that were towering stumps of a long-gone building [granary store ?]

The present owner of the Lifeboat has totally vandalised the area, and I no longer visit when near Thornham.
John Holmes - 15th September 2006

After the mill was dismantled the wooden windshaft was donated to the Bridewell Museum in Norwich but was subsequently moved to Gressenhall Rural Life Museum. The single storey base remained for many years.

16th May 1981

1821: Earlier postmill at approx TF72834380 and probably erected by John Sharpe

Bryant's map 1826: Mill

1836-1865: John Crane b.1792, miller and baker

Thornham Rate Book 1863: One mill

Thornham Rate Book 1863-1886: Two mills

1868: Mrs. Mary Crane, miller

1872: Thomas Crane b.1872

c.1880: Mill built

Thornham Rate Book 1887: One mill

1892: John Crane jnr (grandson) advertised mill for sale

1896: Thomas Crane died

1896: Elizabeth Crane b.1823, (sister to Thomas Crane) owner; Howes Tipple, miller

1900: Elizabeth Crane died

1900: Mill ceased working

November 1930: Mill dismantled

1981: Brick base remaining

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 TF72834380

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