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Painting by Thomas Lound - c.1845
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Felthorpe Mill
Small tributary of River Wensum |
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Painting by Thomas Lound - c.1845
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Felthorpe
mill took its water from a beck which originated on the Haveringland Hall
estate. It possibly also served the ancient priory, which was once close
by. The ground floor of the mill was built of brick and the upper two floors
were weatherboard with a Norfolk pantiled roof. The main axle was 1 foot
9 inches in diameter and it supported a breastshot wheel 20 feet in diameter
and 4 feet 6 inches wide that drove 3 pairs of stones. By 1883 water power was being supplemented by a steam engine. |
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Mill
dam c.1905
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Sale of Farm at Felthorpe. Norfolk Chronicle - 6th May 1809 |
Notice to Debtors & Creditors of |
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c.1920 |
c.1921 |
In 1831 Christopher West was retailing some 50 sacks of flour a week produced by the combination of the watermill and Mill Farm postmill. |
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Sketch of 1860 |
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March
1977
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5th
January 2003 |
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Looking
towards the road March 1977
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Site
of the waterwheel March
1977 - axle top right |
| Earlier millers also worked the nearby Felthorpe postmill |
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Capital Wind
Mill,
Lease of Water Mill, Dwelling House, Land, and Cottages. FELTHORPE. To be SOLD by AUCTION, By WM. SPELMAN, On Saturday, the 11th September, 1830, At Four o'clock in the Afternoon, |
At the Maid's Head Inn, situate in Saint Simon's, in the city of Norwich. THE following VALUABLE PROPERTY, situate in Felthorpe, in the county of Norfolk. IN LOTS: - Lot 6. - All that substantial and recently built Freehold POST WINDMILL, with patent sails, round-house, two floors, three pair of excellent French stones, jumper, iron shaft, &c. &c. granary, cart lodge, and a piece of Land. - An excellent freehold Dwelling-house, in the occupation of Mr. Christopher West, a short distance from the mill, with a Retail Shop, barn, stable, gig-house, yards, and garden, containing altogether about four acres (including the site of the mill and buildings). Also the remaining term of a Lease of a Water-Mill, of which 11 years will be unexpired at Michaelmas next, with all the machinery, in complete repair, viz. three pair of stones, flour-mill, jumper, &c. &c. and two acres of land. The Mills are now in full trade, and retail nearly fifty sacks of flour weekly. The whole having been in the occupation of Mr. West for many years, is exceedingly worthy the attention of the public. The property may be viewed on application to Mr. West, at Felthorpe; and further particulars had of Mr. J. R. Staff, Solicitor, St. Andrew's, or of Mr. Spelman, Duke's Palace, Norwich.. Norfolk Chronicle - 4th September 1830 |
Capital Windmill,
Lease of Water Mill, Dwelling House, Land & Cottages at FELTHORPE in
Norfolk. To be Sold by Auction by Wm. SPELMAN on Saturday 30 July 1831 at 4 o'c at the Angel Inn, Market Place, Norwich. Lot 1. All that substantial & recently built Freehold POST WINDMILL with Patent Sails, Roundhouse two floors, three pair of excellent French Stones, Flour Mill & Jumper, Iron Shaft etc. Granary, Cart Lodge & Piece of Land, an excellent Freehold Dwelling House in the occupation of Mr. Christopher WEST a short distance from the Mill with a Retail Shop, Barn, Stable, Gig house, Yards & Garden containing altogether about 4 acres. Also the Lease of a Water Mill of which ten years will be unexpired at Michaelmas next ... An Extensive Retail Trade has been carried on in the Mills nearly fifty years & the Lot is worthy the attention of the Public. Land tax 7s. The Property may be viewed on application to Mr. WEST of Felthorpe, further particulars of Mr. STAFF, Solr. St. Andrews, Mr. SPELMAN, Dukes Palace, & Mr. THOROLD, Engineer, St. Martin at Oak, Norwich. Norfolk Chronicle - 16th, 23rd & 30th July 1831 |
To Debtors & Creditors of Christopher West of Felthorpe, Miller Debts & Claims to Thomas Nash |
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| By order of the Executors, Felthorpe, 29 January 1847 |
Robert Springall William Plane |
| Norfolk Chronicle - 30th January 1847 | |
To Let at Michaelmas next Mill Farm ... with or without a water mill ... Norfolk Chronicle - 14th June 1884 |
FELTHORPE MILLS near Norwich To be let & entered upon at Michaelmas 1869 A WINDMILL & a WATERMILL with three pairs of stones in each, 33 acres of Land, a good House with Barn, Stables & all requisite Outbuildings. Apply to Mr. Overman, Haverland Hall Farm, near Norwich. Norfolk Chronicle - 24th April & 19 June & Lynn Advertiser 15th May & 19th June 1869 |
In the Matter of Thomas Nash of Felthorpe in the County of Norfolk, Miller & Farmer. |
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| Dated 1st March 1870 | Blake, Keith & Blake Solicitors for the Trustees |
| Norfolk News - 5th March 1870 | |
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The
axle beside the road March 1977
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The axle and remains of a stone March
1977 |
When the photographs
were taken in 1977, the foundations could still clearly be seen. The site
was generally overgrown and the remaining water was flowing over a heavy
build up of silt. The waterwheel axle lay near the road and the remains
of one of the stones was just beside it. |
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Looking
towards the road March 1977
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Wheelrace
October 1982 |
When further
photographs were taken in 2003 the site to either side of the water channels
was completely overgrown and there appeared to be no trace of either the
axle or the stone. |
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Wheelrace
5th January 2003
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5th
January 2003 |
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c.1920 |
3rd April 2015 |
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Wheelrace 3rd April 2015 |
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O. S. Map 6" 1881-1882 Courtesy of NLS map images |
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O. S. Map 25" 1882 Courtesy of NLS map images |
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Image produced under licence from Ordnance Survey |
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A house on Felthorpe Green has a small marble stone over the front door bearing the inscription ES 1792. Edward Springall's daughter Elizabeth married Christopher West in 1797 and then lived in the house. Christopher became the miller at Felthorpe and was there until he died in 1847, although according to the newspaper notice listed above, it would appear that he assigned the lease in 1831. |
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Ephraim Witard, who ran the mill from c.1891 to c.1912 also ran Upper Hellesdon Press Lane towermill. |
Once out of service, the mill was used as a blacksmith's shop for some years by Horace Harrison before being demolished in the late 1920s. A Mr. Motram also worked as a blacksmith at the old mill. |
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I used to spend all my summer days with my friends playing near the mill (or what was left of it). This was about 1986 and it wasn't as overgrown as it is now. Many hours were spent catching sticklebacks, trying to block the river with a dam or daring each other to go all the way under the bridge. All the children at that time used to hang out near the mill. I spent so much time there with my friends when I was young, I am surprised to see it so overgrown. I put that down to Playstations. |
The son of Christopher (d.1847) emigrated to the US in 1833. He established himself in Baltimore, lived his entire life there, and never returned to England. Many of his family also stayed in Baltimore, as did mine. That is where I grew up. |
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Faden's map
1797: Water Mill
White's 1845: Christopher West, corn miller and farmer
Craven's 1856: Thomas Nash
White's 1864: Thomas Nash, miller and farmer
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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 15771847 | Copyright © Jonathan Neville 2005 |