Mills working c.1905
White mill on the left
White mill on the left
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Cawston Sygate
White towermill |
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Mills working c.1905 White mill on the left |
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Two brick towermills were both built in the same mill yard at Cawston Sygate in 1853 by farmer, merchant and auctioneer, John Shepheard Hickling. The White mill was slightly larger than the Black_mill and was so called because it had a white painted cap. The mill house bears a datestone J.S.H. 1853. At one point the Black_Mill was grinding wheat to flour, which was then dressed in the White Mill. In later years, the Black_mill was run as a sawmill and the White Mill produced animal feed. |
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White Mill in the foreground 1923 |
White Mill in the foreground c.1925 |
The 5 storey mill was powered by 4 double shuttered sails. One pair has 8 bays of 3 shutters and the other pair had 7 bays of 3 shutters, the innermost section having 1 bay of 4 shutters. The white boat shaped cap with a petticoat, held a gallery and a 6 bladed fantail. A stage was set around the first floor. |
Rex Wailes described the mill as derelict in 1923. He also mentioned that the mill had a: |
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Michaelmas Sales by J. S. Hickling |
| Two Brick Tower WINDMILLS, Miller's House, two Cottages, Granary, Engine
house, Stable and Gardens, containung altogether One acre. Freehold. Rental £40 per annum. Wm. Forster, Esq., Vendor's Solicitor Norfolk Chronicle - 16th September 1893 |
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The White mill was run by John Shepheard Hickling as a cornmill until around 1879. Two tenants William Handcock 1880-1890 and Alexander Wells in 1892, ran the mill until John Hickling put both mills up for auction in 1893. |
John Shepheard Hickling was buried in Cawston chuchyard. |
In 1881 Lewis Yallop's daughter, Laura aged 19 was living with her parents at Southgate. It appears that soon after this she married into the Pyke family but by 1883 she was a widow - Laura Pike. In June 1883 Laura married Edward Slipper in Sheringham, giving her father's occupation as miller in Cawston. |
William Stackwood snr moved from Dilham to Cawston in the late 1890s. He had been running the two Sygate mills whilst also running Dilham_watermill where he had been living. His son Sydney Stackwood remained behind and carried on the business in Dilham. |
In 1923 Philip Unwin photographed the mills and recorded that both were derelict. |
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Bamber & Rosie Stackwood, Mrs Nora Purdy & Mrs Stackwood outside Mill Cottages in 1924 |
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White Mill on the right c.1935 |
Mills and cottages c.1938 |
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White Mill on the right c.1945 |
... Attlebridge airfield. When missions began 466th crews tried to spin the sails of a windmill in the vicinity with their B-24s prop wash and bets were placed on who could fly the nearest to its sails. Fields of Little America - Martion Bowman, 1977 It is not known if a Cawston towermill was the mill in question but it was a strong possibility. |
In 1955 the Black Mill was demolished for rubble to pave a roadway and the White Mill would have suffered the same fate if the winch rope had not broken. |
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26th May 1970 |
c.1970 |
c.1970 CAWSTON sign probably came from Cawston station signalbox |
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20th April 1984 |
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c.1990 |
1990 |
During the 1970s the new owner of the property and cottages, converted nos. 1 & 2 into one cottage and sold no. 3. |
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30th
May 2005
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c.2010 |
Sygate Mill is a skilful conversion of a former grain mill, peacefully situated on the outskirts of Cawston village in North Norfolk. The stylish interior is brimming with character features including exposed brickwork, beams and a first-floor decked balcony which offers lovely countryside views.
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6" O.S. Map 1885 - white mill just to the southeast of the black mill (not to scale) Courtesy of NLS map images |
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25" O.S. Map 1885 - white mill just to the southeast of the black mill (not to scale) Courtesy of NLS map images |
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1853: Mill
built along with the Black
mill by John Shepheard Hickling
1883: Lewis Yallop O.S. map 1885: Windmill 1888-1890: William Handcock, tenant |
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 07836 675369 or
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| Nat Grid Ref TG 13572460 |
Copyright © Jonathan Neville 2004 |