Norfolk Mills - Thetford Bishops Mill

Thetford Bishop's Mill stood on or near an ancient site where a mill had worked since before Domesday. In later years the flour mill was converted to a papermill that was built of Thetford grey brick under a tile and slate roof. In the 1700s - 1800s it was known as St Audrey's or Bishop's Mill. In 1879 the site was taken over by Thetford Pulpware, which went on to become a large concern with the factory covering several acres.

January 2003

...and of two mills the king hath two parts and the earl a third. The king has two parts of a third mill, and of those two parts the earl has third.
...besides this, two burgesses have one mill.
And the bishop hath there twenty houses free, one mill, and half a church.
Roger (Bigot) hath in demsne, quit from all custom, to which belonged, in the time of King Edward, two curacates of land, and now the same; always two carucates in demesne, twenty bordars, two servants, one mill, thirteen acres of meadow, thirty acres of land. There is one mill, and five acres of meadow...
In the burgh, Roger hath also thirty-three men under his protection, as his predessor had, on whom he has no other claims but protection, and he has now one mill, which Sturstin, a burgess holds. He claims it as a royal gift, but the hundred knows not how; that mill is worth thirty-two shillings.
Translation from Domesday - 1080

...and two water mills, value £5.

The water-mills let for £2, 10s. per annum, which, according to the value of money at that time compared with the present, would be adequate to something like £85 per annum for each mill, showing that they were of considerable working power and usefulness.
Inquisition on the death of the Earl of Leicester - 1327
The Mighty City in the East - A. Leigh Hunt 1870

...shall make, kepe, and repare oon of the saide breges lyeing on the king's water and ryver runinge from the Castell mille toward the Pytmell, in the said towne...
The Order for Repayer of the Bridges called the None's Bridges in Thettforde - 1539

The town has several good inns, many well stocked shops, an old established brewery, several malt-kilns and corn mills, a tannery a foundry, and an extensive paper mill, the latter employing about 50 hands in the manufacture of the finer sorts of paper.
White's History of Thetford - 1864

Re. ancient maps:
Spanish Close was that piece of meadow ground east of the Paper Mill, enclosed by a wall, and on the south bank of the Little Ouse River.

Bellman's Close adjoins St. Audrey's churchyard, near the Paper Mill, St Mary's parish.

Butler's Common and Lammas Meadow are situated between the two streams, west of the
Water Mill of Messrs. Cronshey and Jillings, and north-west of the small bridges.

Small Bridge Common is situated on the east side of these bridges, adjoining the Paper Mill
The Mighty City in the East - A. Leigh Hunt 1870


Part of the site c.1890	Headrace January 2003

1737
Another sturgeon, nearly as large as the first, killed in the river by the paper mill, April 15th.
The Mighty City in the East - A. Leigh Hunt 1870

The original sturgeon referred to above was killed in the Mill Pool of nearby Thetford_Mill on 7th April 1715 and apparently was found to be measuring 7 ft. 8 in. in length, and 3 ft. 2 in. in circumference, and weighing 192 lbs.