| Windmills
in and around Mattishall..... |
| Some picture of what is left of the windmills
in and around our village. |
 |
The remains of the last working
corn mill of Mattishall, derelict by 1916. Looks quiet sad doesn't
it?. Situated just off Mill Street.
This has now been restored an updated picture is on its way...... |
| © Ray Taylor |
|
| The old mill in Mill Road owened
by Donald and Margaret Fisher has been restored into a holiday
home. |
 |
| |
© Ray Taylor |
 |
Yaxham mill recently renovated. |
| © Ray Taylor |
|
| Honningham mill was turned into
a sizable dwelling within the last few years. |
 |
| |
© Ray Taylor |
 |
Finally Dereham mill restored to
it original glory a monument to how the previous mills would
have looked in their prime working days. |
| © Ray Taylor |
|
| Mattishall's
Corn Windmills .... |
The content of this page
has been writern by Harry Apling and taken from his book
'Norfolk Corn Windmills'.
pages 279 - 284
Permission to use the content relating to Mattishall has kindly
been given by........ |
The Norfolk
Windmill Trust
|
|
click on their logo
to visit their Website |
Mill Road (formerly
Mill Street)
NGR. TG 04391150
THE RED BRICK tower mill in Mill Road, Mattishall was built
for Matthew Yull in 1857/58. It replaced an earlier post mill
shown on Faden's Map of 1797 and advertised for sale in 1787:-
Norfolk Chronicle, 15 September 1787
To be SOLD by AUCT1ON
By J. CHRISTMAS
On Friday September 21, 1787 between the Hours of Two and
Five in the Afternoon, at the Eagle in East Dereham.
A Compleat WINDMILL with a Pair of excellent French Stones
and Flour Mill, now in full Trade, standing in Mattishall
near the Turnpike Road from Norwich to Dereham.
Dereham is the best Corn Market in the County.
For further Particulars enquire of Michael Dexter in Mattishall,
who will shew the Premises.
It was again for sale in 1813. From 1815 the
post mill was owned by members of the Toffts family, James,
John and Mrs. Mary Toffts, till Richard Sendall bought it
in 1840. He kept it till 1855, when he sold it to Matthew
Yull, a local farmer. In the meantime it had had a succession
of tenant millers, Christmas Fulcher, William Neve, Archibald
Brasnett, Levi Reynolds and John Sendall. By July 1856 whilst
in the occupation of John Sendall it had been demolished for
some reason or other.
When the new tower mill had been built Matthew Yull worked
it in his own name as from April 1858. However, he seems to
have got into difficulties in 1860, when the property was
advertised for sale by his Mortgagees, though the sale was
cancelled the following week:-
Norfolk Chronicle, 19 May 1860
MATTISHALL, Norfolk
Freehold Land and newly erected Tower Windmill, Cottage, Granaries
and Buildings. To be Sold by Auction
(By the direction of the Mortgagees thereof under a power
of Sale)
By J. BUTRIFANT at the King's Head Inn, East Dereham on Friday
Ist June 1860 at 4 o'clock
All that piece of Freehold Land containing la. Ir. 25p. abutting-on
the road leading from the Mattishall Turnpike to North Tuddenham
with the five floor Tower Windmill, excellent Granary, 2-stall
Stable, Hay house and Cart shed which have recently been erected
thereon in the most substantial manner. The Mill is fitted
up in the most complete manner with two pairs of French Stones
4 ft. 4 ins. and 4 ft., new machinery for wind and steam and
is now in full work.
Also ... cottage ...
The Mill and Land are in the occupation of Mr. Matthew Yull
and the Cottage of George Wright. Apply to Mr. Dye, Solicitor,
St. Andrew's Broad-street or the Auctioneer, 22 Bethel-street,
Norwich.
The mill was then let to William Murrell, 1860/61 and to John
Muskett from 1862 till 1870, when he was made Bankrupt and
his stock in trade sold up:-
Norfolk News, 10 December 1870
In Bankruptcy MATTISHALL
Mr. W. K. FRANCIS is favoured with instructions from the Trustee
of the Estate of Mr. John Muskett, Miller, Bankrupt, to Sell
by Auction on Thursday 15 December 1870 all the valuable STOCK
IN TRADE consisting of an excellent 8 horse power portable
steam engine by Garrett & Sons, 36 coombs of wheat, 11
coombs of barley, a quantity of flour, malt and hops, . ..
van, three miller's carts ... and HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE and
other effects. Catalogues at the place of sale or of the Auctioneer,
Commercial Road, Dereham. Sale to commence at 10 o'clock prompt
...
M. Farmen was running the mill in 1872, George Farman 1875-1879
and in 1883 |
Mattishall, Mill Road Mill
1972 The two-storey stump, which is all that remains of the
five-storey tower mill built around 1857/8 to replace a post
mill. |
|
Transparency H.A. |
William Critoph of Yaxham tower mill was working
it.
In October 1889 the mill property together with the farm which
included land in Westfield and Yaxham was once more put up for
sale by the Mortgagees, but appears not to have been sold, as
in October 1890 it was again auctioned. The mill was then in
hand and no longer being used and was bought by Isaac Fisher,
who had the present house built there.
The top of the mill was blown off about 1893 and some of the
material went to repair the Mill Street tower mill being worked
by William Lant Duffield. The mill was finally dismantled about
1900.
As worked:-
No photograph of the mill in working order has yet been located.
It had - 5 floors
2 pairs of French burr stones, 4 ft. and 4 ft. 4 ins. in diameter
At present:-
2-storey stump with hexagonal tiled roof, used as store
|
Mill Street
(formerly Town Lane)
NGR. TGO5431085
MATTISHALL'S other brick tower mill was built in 1862 for
Edward Sendall, to replace his smock mill on the same property,
perhaps in order to compete successfully with Matthew Yull's
new tower mill in Mill Road.
The smock mill, shown on Bryant's Map of 1826 in what was
then known as Town Lane, had been in the ownership of the
Lemmon (Leamon) family since 1826 at least. John Lemmon himself
worked it till 1841, when it was let for two years to William
Butters, who had been tenant at George Vassar's smock mill
on the Norwich Road for the last two years or so. John Leamon
then regained possession till he died in 1848 and his widow,
Martha, carried on with their son, Thomas, till she made a
Deed of Assignment for the benefit of her creditors. Her property
was put up for sale by auction in August 1857:-
Norfolk Chronicle, 1 August 1857
MALMSHALL & WELBORNE, Norfolk
Capital newly built Dwelling House and mill together with
8 acres of rich arable land
To be Sold by Auction by Mr. RAMSDALE, at the Swan Inn, Mattishall
on Monday 3rd August 1857 at 5 o'clock
In three lots
Lot 1.
All that newly erected and substantially built Brick and Tiled
MESSUAGE situate in Town Lane in Mattishall aforesaid with
the Yards, Gardens, Stables, Hay-house, Cart Lodge and Store-house
adjoining; and all that substantially built SMOCK TOWER WINDMILL
driving two pairs of stones, with the flour mill, sifter and
all requisite machinery in excellent condition, situate adjoining
or near the said dwelling house, comprising altogether, with
the site of the Buildings One Rood, more or less. Freehold.
|
Mattishall, Mill Street Mill
This mill was built in 1862, replacing a smock mill. The inner
stock appears to be flexing, which is a sign of weakness.
|
|
Unwin collection |
Lot 2.
Arable land ... Mattishall ... 2a. more or less. Freehold
Lot 3.
Arable land ... Welborne ... 6a. more or less. Copyhold Manor
of Welborne.
Apply to Mr. Drake, Solicitor, to Messrs. Cooper & Sons
or to the Auctioneer, East Dereham.
The mill was not sold then, but was again advertised for sale,
this time by private contract, in October 1857, when it was
bought by Edward Sendall, who had been working it. By April
1861 it was no longer working.
The new tower mill was operational by October 1862 with Thomas
Sendall as tenant miller to Edward. He had @a partner George
Reeve in 1876, when the mill was offered for sale by auction
by the Mortgagees:-
Norfolk Chronicle, 9 September 1876
MATTISHALL, Norfolk
Situate 5 Miles from the rising market town of East Dereham
To be Sold By
Mr. HORACE M. WILKIN, by order of the Mortgagees with power
of Sale, at the King's Arms Hotel, East Dereham at 3 for 4
o'clock on Friday, 29 September, 1876.
All that Freehold MESSUAGE or TENEMENT with the Stable, Hayhouse,
Cart lodge, Storehouse and other Outhouses, Yards, Garden
and Land to the same belonging and adjoining, situate in Mattishall
and also all that Freehold BRICK TOWER WINDMILL standing on
the said land, with the going gear, Machinery, Sack tackling,
Mill Stones, Flour Mills, Sails and appurtenances thereto
belonging, as the same premises, containing together one rood
(more or less) and are bounded by Land belonging to - Dobbs
towards the North and South, by Land belonging to John Lodge
towards the East and by the public road leading from Mattishall
to Welborne towards the West, and now in the occupation of
Mr. George Reeve and Mr. Thomas Sendall.
Two thirds of the purchase money (if required) can remain
on mortgage. Apply to the Auctioneer or
Messrs. Archer & Archer,
Solicitors, King's Lynn.
No sale seems to have resulted as the mill was advertised
several times by the Mortgagees till 1889. In 1883/84 David
John Reeve was miller, followed by Edward Sparks, 1886, 1.
W. Rix 1888 and J. C. Millett in 1889. William Lant Duffield,
who had been employed at Mulbarton Common smock mill took
the mill in 1893 on a four-year lease, starting in business
on his own account. He said the mill was a fine one having
six floors and plenty of sail - 30 ft. by 9 ft. each, driving
two pairs of stones. He sold all English flour in 5 stone
lots at 1 s. per stone. In 1895 he was buying barley for grinding
at 10s. per quarter and selling the meal at 6d. per stone
(1 quarter = 32 pecks or stones). The mill had been out of
use for about two years, but after repairs to the sails and
the replacing of one millstone, he got it working again. In
1896 he returned to Tasburgh watermill, where he had been
apprenticed and in 1906 hired Saxlingham Thorpe watermill,
founding the present firm of W. L. Duffield & Son, Ltd.
He was followed at Mattishall by James Doughty
in 1900, William West in 1904 and William Fendick (3), who
had come from the Norwich Road tower mill at Dereham in 1908.
He had left Mattishall and was at Honingham watermill by 1912.
The mill was already derelict in 1916 when the sails were
blown off. By 1937 the tower had been cut down and roofed
over similar to the Mill Road tower.
As worked:-
4 double-shuttered sails, 9 bays of 3
Boat-shaped cap Petticoat
6-bladed fan
Gallery
Stage at 2nd floor
6 floors
2 pairs of stones
Flour mill
Oat crusher
At present:-
3-storey stump of tower with 6-sided tiled roof, used as store
Other mills in Mattishall:-
TG 04391150. Mill Road (then Mill Street), earlier post mill
TG 04851100. (Faden's Map 1797) post mill?
TG 05431085. Mill Street (then Town Lane), smock mill
TG 05431085. Mill Street, tower mill
TG 06301115. Norwich Road, smock mill |
About Harry Apling.....
Born at Manor Park, Essex in 1904, Harry Apling soon moved to
Ilford where he attended Christchurch Road School and the County
High School, leaving there in 1920. Ever since 1908, family
holidays had been taken at Hingham in Norfolk, with a visit
to the windmill there in 1911.
Joining Barclays Bank Limited in London, he was transferred
to Norfolk in 1922 at his own request. In February of the following
year, he was moved to the East Dereham Branch for four years
and, after a few years service at Attleborough and Norwich,
he returned to Dereham in 1934.
Since childhood he had been interested in coins and on coming
to Norfolk also took up prehistoric archaeology. Windmills formed
part of his rural colour photography and, in 1958, he bought
his first book on the subject. However, finding that there was
no detailed account of Norfolk corn windmills, he started building
up his own filing system, later collecting photographs and other
information for a time. This, then, is the written up result,
at least the first volume of it, dealing only with those mills
of which anything at all still remains. |
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