Wramplingham Mill was a 3 storey corn mill built of weatherboard over a ground floor brick base with a Norfolk pantiled roof. The water power was supplemented by a steam engine located at the rear of the mill and was vented via a chimney that stood considerably higher than the mill building. In 1773 it was stated that 4 pairs of stones were being driven by both an undershot and an overshot wheel. It seems unlikely that an overshot wheel was used however it is possible. By 1826 a single 21' breast shot wheel powered by a 9ft 6ins head of water and a steam engine were running up to 6 pairs of stones. The pit wheel was made of oak with cast iron segments and was meshed with a cast iron wallower and the wooden toothed spur wheel meshed with cast iron stone nuts.

The mill machinery was removed during the 1940's and used as a contribution to the war effort with the mill itself being demolished in 1945 as it was becoming unsafe.

It has been said that the River Tiffey only flows as far as Kimberly Lake and on exiting the lake the river is known as the River Barr from which the parish of Barford takes its name.

Eric Ketteringham (in the above photo) was born in 1916 and was the grandson of Albert Ketteringham, who owned the mill.

When the mill was working, a weir some 150 yards upstream of the mill was used to maintain the head of water within the mill dam. The weir was later removed by the National River Authority, which effectively diverted the river leaving only a very small stream running through the mill and on into the village mill pond.

To be SOLD by AUCTION
By Jonathan Gleed
At the White Swan Inn in St. Peters, Norwich, on Saturday 11th Day of September 1773, between the Hours of 2 and 4 in the Afternoon A DWELLING HOUSE and about 3 Acres of meadow Land and also a Watermill and Windmill near thereto, with their Appurtenances, in Wramplingham, within about Seven Miles of Norwich.
For Further Particulars apply to John Gay, Esq., Mr. William Foster Attorney in Norwich or to Mr. Tuddenham in St. Peters of Mancroft, Norwich.
Mr. Tuddenham of Wramplingham will shew the Premises.
Norfolk Chronicle - 28th August 1773

To be SOLD by AUCTION
By Jonathan Gleed
At the White Swan in St. Peters, Norwich, on Saturday 25th Day of September 1773, between the Hours of 2 and 4 in the Afternoon A DWELLING HOUSE, Backhouse, Stables, Pigs Coat and about 3 Acres of meadow Land and also a watermill with a Ground Shot and Over Shot Wheel, 4 pairs of Stones, Flourmill, all in good Repair and all Freehold; and Windmill near thereto with their Appurtenances.
Norfolk Chronicle - 11th September 1773

The sale particulars of 6th July 1867 provides details of some of the machinery. The mill was powered by a 9ft 6ins head of water that ran a 21 foot diameter breast shot wheel. The pit wheel was made of oak with cast iron segments that meshed with a cast iron wallower. The spur wheel presumably had wooden cogs as it was turning cast iron stone nuts fitted with double bridging pots and one set of regulators to four pairs of stones. In all there were 6 pairs of 4 foot French burr stones, which meant that the mill was producing flour.

At one point in his career Albert Ketteringham (b. September 1858) worked as head carpenter for Bullards Brewery and was also leader of the company brass band. Albert Ketteringham's brother Frederick Ketteringham, was the miller at Shipdham_Mill_Road_postmill from 1904-1908.

The mill machinery was removed during the 1940's and used as a contribution to the war effort with the mill itself being demolished in 1945 as it was becoming unsafe.

The walls of the wheel water channel clearly show two different sets of scrape marks indicating that the wheel was changed at least once over the years.

An old French burr stone lies in a corner near the brick base of the steam chimney stack.

c.1620: Thomas Clover (m. Ales Beales 1607). At some point sold mill to R. Edmund Smyth

Will 1631: R. Edmund Smyth of Rushbrooke (nr. Bury St Edmunds) left mill to his brother

August 1773: Mill advertised for sale by auction along with windmill

Faden's map 1797: Mill

Wramplingham Poll book 1802: George Gower

Pigot's 1830: Thomas Farrar, miller, Wramplingham

White's 1836: Thomas Farrar, miller

Pigot's 1839: Thomas Farrar, miller

Tithe Award 1839: Thomas Farrer

White's 1845: Shadrack & David Sayer - Execors. of Thomas Farrer

Slater's 1850: Frederick Sayer, miller

Kelly's 1854: Shadrach Sayer, miller & farmer

White's 1854: Shadrach & David Sayer, corn millers

Friday 7th October 1859: William Gaze, millwright of Norwich, killed by mill machinery - see fatality

1859: Noah Ottaway; James Murrell - mill workers

October 1859: Frederick Sayer, tenant left the mill and business transferred to landlord William Ringer

White's 1864: William Ringer, miller

1873: William Buckenham, miller

Kelly's 1879: William Buckenham, miller, The Mill

O.S. map 1882: Cornmill

Kelly's 1883: Frederick Thomas Sharpin

Kelly's 1892: Vincent Jermyn

Kelly's 1896: Vincent Jermyn

Kelly's 1904: Vincent Jermyn

Kelly's 1908: Albert Ketteringham

1924: Albert Ketteringham's wife died

Kelly's 1925: Albert Ketteringham

1945: Mill demolished