Norfolk Mills - Frettenham tower windmill

Frettenham towermill

c.1910

Frettenham towermill was a 47 foot, five storey tarred brick mill that was built c.1870 in the yard of Home Farm on the outskirts of the village. The mill was built for Joshua Harper, who was also a farmer and a dyer and it was one of the last towermills to be built in Norfolk. The mill had a Norfolk boat shaped cap, four patent sails and a fan. A stage was set around the second floor.

23rd October 1970


c.1982	1989

A newspaper advertisment of 4th July 1891 mentioned that the mill had been built about ten years since.

23rd December 2004

FRETTENHAM near Norwich

Messrs. SPELMAN have received instructions from the Executrix of the late Mr. Joshua Harper to Sell by Auction on Saturday July 18, 1891 at 12 for 1 o'clock at the Royal Hotel, Norwich

THE HOME FARM AT FRETTENHAM

comprising Residence, Tower Windmill & about 91 Acres of LAND.
Particulars of Messrs. SPELMAN, Norwich, Yarmouth & LOwestoft & of Mr. E. A. Tillett, Solr. Norwich.
Norfolk Chronicle - 27th June 1891

FRETTENHAM near Norwich

Messrs. SPELMAN have received instructions from Mrs. Ann Harper to Sell by Auction on Saturday July 18th, 1891 at 12 for 1 o'clock at the Royal Hotel, Norwich, the valuable small Freehold FARM known as 'Home Farm' situate at Frettenham, Norfolk, about 5 miles from Norwich and 3 miles from Coltishall and Buxton Stations, comprising Residence, Agricultural Buildings, Tower Windmill, Arable and Pasture LAND containing altogether

92a. 2r.10p.

or thereabouts, with possession at Michaelmas next. The Mill was built about ten years since and stands in a good position for business. The House is well arranged and there is a Vinery, also Kitchen and Vegetable Gardens and Orchard, the whole forming a very pleasant Residence.
Particulars of Messrs. Spelman and of Mr. Edward A. Tillett, Solicitor, Tombland, Norwich.
Norfolk Chronicle - 4th July 1891

2003

The mill had become derelict by 1970 but by at least by 2000 the cap had been restored and some of the gearing remained in situ. The new cap was a much flatter version of the original high Norfolk boat shaped cap shown on the photo at the top of the page.

23rd December 2004

Nr. W. D. Field gave a 4ft 4ins French burr stone to the village for the new sign. The stone was set to form the top of the sign base and the sign was unveiled in August 1981.

19th April 2005

O. S. Map 1905
Courtesy of NLS map images

c.1870: Mill built for Joshua Harper

White's 1888: Joshua Harper, miller, farmer and owner, overseer and surveyor

1891: Joshua Harper died and mill sold by auction by his widow and executrix Ann Harper

June 1891: Mill advertised for sale by auction

1891: Mill bought by Alfred Edward Sutton Herne

Kelly's 1892: Alfred Edward Sutton Herne, farmer and miller (wind)

Kelly's 1896: Alfred Edward Sutton Herne, farmer and miller (wind)

Kelly's 1900: Alfred Edward Sutton Herne, farmer and miller (wind)

O.S. map 1905: Windmill (Corn)

Karl Wood painting 1937: Mill derelict with stage, cap & fan frames and possibly the windshaft still remaining

1970: Mill derelict with no cap and stage gone but internal gearing still in situ

1970: W. D. Field, Mill Farm

18th March, 1984: Walter Doughty of Mill Farm died at Gt. Witchingham aged 91 years

1989: Derelict mill tower with no roof

2000: New cap fitted some time ago. Supports of stage still remaining

2004: Mill converted to residential use

November 2008: Mill Farms Barns & mill advertised for sale for £600,000

2024: Mark Read, owner

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

Nat Grid Ref TG 24601775

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