Potter Heigham tower windmill was built to replaced an earlier postmill on or near the same site. The six storey red brick 54 foot tower was built for Simon Boyce by the Suffolk millwrights, Martins in 1849. Power was supplied by 4 double shuttered patent sails each with 9 bays of 3 shutters that were struck by rack and pinion. The white Norfolk boat shaped cap with its petticoat held an 8 bladed fan and a chain pole.

The sails powered 2 pairs of French burr stones, a flour mill, jumper and sack hoist. By 1900 a Ransomes 10hp steam engine was being used for auxiliary power.

Ground Floor
Inside diameter 23 ft. with 18 ins. thick walls
Ceiling 7 ft. 6 ins. high
Iron beam scales with Avery weights

1st Floor - Meal Floor
6 armed iron mortise 7 ft. diameter great spur wheel
2 stone nuts that could also be driven by an electric motor on the ground floor
16 sided, hollow, Iron upright shaft

2nd Floor - Stone Floor
2 pairs of underdriven French burr stones, 4 ft. 8 ins. diameter
1 pair in an 8 sided tun complete with a hopper and horse
2nd pair open, with the tun, hopper and horse dismantled and the runner stone on an iron crane
Slate proving staff and wooden proving staff
Tracer bar. Mill bills and thrifts

3rd Floor - Bin Floor

4th Floor
Bevelled crown wheel driving the sack hoist
Dog clutch to the upper extension of the upright shaft

5th Floor
No shaft
No drum to the sack hoist, just an endless chain over a wooden pullet
On the arms of an iron driving wheel, the inscription: J. PIAT - PARIS
Window bricked up

Pencilled and other notes within the Mill:

Ground Floor
Painted on the beam facing the door and also on one at right angles:
SHAKE THE CHAIN WILL BE DOWN IN A SEC THANK YOU

Stone Floor
George Boyce Potter Heigham 1849
William Boyce came to Potter Heigham Mill 1890 Oct.
Simon Boyce Died Feb. 11, 1898 75 years
Ed. Bristow took Heigham Mill Oct. 15, 1900
Ted Bristow started for America March 21, 1910
TITANIC lost April 1912
Great Flood August 27 Tuesday 1912
Sold Mill to J. Blaxell Aug. 1919
R. Blaxell 1920
Wm. Boyce left Potter Heigham Mill June 28, 1928. Came to Potter Heigham Mill Oct. 15, 1890
Electric Motor Dec. 1, 1933

Bin Floor
May 18th 1891 4 inches snow
Sunday March 24/95
The Gale March 24, 1895
R. F. Blaxell came to Mill Sep. 24, 1919 (Died. 8th June.1984)
J. Blaxell took Mill Sep. 24, 1919

LOCAL BANKRUPTS
Boyce, Simonds, Potter Heigham, Miller
Norfolk Chronicle - 25th February 1888

POTTER HEIGHAM
Within Five Minutes of the Eastern & Midlands Railway Station and about Midway between Yarmouth and North Walsham; also within Ten Minutes of Staithe on the River Thurne.
Robert Baldry is favoured with instructions (as to Lot 1 by Order of the Mortgagees of Simonds Boyce and as to Lot 2 by Order of H. P. Gould, Esq. the Official Receiver in Bankruptcy of Symonds Boyce) to Sell by Auction at the Crown Hotel, Great Yarmouth on Wednesday 13 February 1889 at 3.30 for 4.30 o'c in the Afternoon, the following Desirable PROPERTY in Two Lots, viz.
Lot 1. All that substantial and well built Five Storey Brick Tower WIND MILL driving two Pairs of French Burr Stones, Flour Mill, Jumper and the usual Sack Tackling complete, all in Fair going order; also a Brick built and Tiled DWELLING HOUSE containing ... with GARDEN and LAND. The Premises comprise a Brick Built and Tiled Barn, Turnip house, cow house and Stable adjoining, Brick Built and Slated; also a Clay Built and Thatched Cart shed and a Clay built Boarded and Thatched Granary, as now or late in the occupation (for many years) of Simonds Boyce.
Lot 2. ... COTTAGE ...
Apply to the Auctioneer, Tombland, Norwich or to

To Millers, Merchants & others
POTTER HEIGHAM, Norfolk
Near the Station and the River
Sewell & Barnes have received instructions to Sell by Auction on Wednesday July 18, 1900 at 3 o'c at the Star Hotel, Great Yarmouth the WIND & STEAM MILL WITH MILLER'S HOUSE, Cottage, Granary, Store sheds, Stabling, Cart shed, Cattle sheds, Engine house etc. as now occupied by Mr. W. Moore. The Mill has recently been fitted with all the most improved and costly Machinery, including a Ransomes 10 hp. Semi-Portable Engine with Pump attached, Wheat cleaner with Receiving Cylinder, Sack Tackle and Hoist Chain, Two Pairs of French Burr Stones, Flour Mixer, Scalper, Flour Centrifugal, Oat Crusher, mostly by Knights & Stacey.
Possession will be given at Michaelmas next.
Particulars of the Auctioneers, Queen Street, Norwich and of Messrs. J. Wilson Gilbert & Co., Norwich, Solrs. to the Vendor.
Norfolk Chronicle - 14th July 1900

PROPERTY MARKET
On Wednesday last at the Star Hotel, Great Yarmouth Messrs. Sewell & Barnes offered for sale by auction the undermentioned properties:-
Wind & Steam Mill at Potter Heigham with house and premises was withdrawn at £495.
The inventory of the plant and machinery was £130.
Norfolk Chronicle - 21st July 1900

... Potter Heigham ... a large derelict corn towermill adjoining the village.
In Search of English Windmills - Hopkins & Freese - 1931

In October 1953 a conical galvanised metal cap was fitted to the mill by Arthur Webber & Sons Ltd., Motor & General Engineers, Electrical & Millwrights, 1 Breydon Road, Cobbholm, Gt. Yarmouth.

In 1971 some of the machinery still remained inside the mill but the sails and cap had gone, being replaced by a conical metal roof with a weather vane.

In the 1980s Rex Wailes provided some technical information:
The mill once had sail frames 3 ft. by 9 ft. but these were later reduced to 27 ft. by 8 ft. 4 ins.
The stone nuts were taken out of gear by removing the supporting cotter and lowering the nut.
The bell alarm was set on a pivoted bar with a pin that was struck by a pin on the damsel.
A wood and iron crane was used for lifting the stones.

Help save Broads windmill

White's 1883: Simons Boyce, farmer & machine owner

Kelly's 1892: Samuel Pollard, grocer, Post Office

Kelly's 1896: Charles Applegate, marsh millman
Kelly's 1896: Charles Grapes, marsh millman
Kelly's 1896: Samuel Pollard, grocer, Post Office

Kelly's 1900: Charles Grapes, marsh millman
Kelly's 1900: Samuel Pollard, grocer, Post Office

Kelly's 1904: Charles Grapes, marsh millman
Kelly's 1904: Samuel Pollard, grocer, Post Office

Kelly's 1908: Samuel Pollard, grocer, Post Office

Kelly's 1912: Samuel Pollard, grocer, Post Office

Kelly's 1916: Samuel Pollard, grocer, Post Office

Kelly's 1922: Samuel Pollard, grocer, Post Office

Kelly's 1925: Samuel Pollard, grocer, Post Office

Kelly's 1929: Samuel Pollard, grocer, Post office T N 1

Kelly's 1933: John Blaxell, farmer, Hall farm
Kelly's 1933: Samuel Pollard, grocer, Post office T N 1

Kelly's 1937: John Blaxell, farmer, Hall farm
Kelly's 1937: Samuel Pollard, grocer, Post office

1849: Mill built on or near site of earlier postmill by millwrights Martins

1849: George Boyce

1850 : Simon Boyce, miller

Copyright © Jonathan Neville 2004