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c.1924
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Barnham Broom Mill
River Yare |
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c.1924
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Barnham Broom had two mills listed at the time of Domesday but only one survived into modern times. This final structure was quite a small mill and was under the same roof as the mill house, which still remains today. It was constructed of weatherboard with a pantiled roof. At one point
its water power was supplemented by a heavy oil engine that operated the
mill via a pulley wheel on the end wall of the mill. The engine also operated
a belt driven circular saw and a weaving loom. The mill probably ceased operating during the war and was demolished c.1944. |
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c.1925
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The watermill was probably also worked in conjunction with a postmill that lay a short way to the east as the Tithe Award of 1847 showed that the land surrounding the postmill was owned by Robert Atkins who also owned and ran the watermill and the land had probably been in the family for some time. It is also likely that the postmill ceased to work some time after the towermill was built adjacent to the watermill.. |
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Pippa
Miller's copy of Claude Messent's 1938 original
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In 1938 Claude Messent records This is one of the smaller types of mill, but is of much interest as showing a mill and house continuous under one roof. A curious feature is that the roof at the mill end gradually changes from a straight pitch to the slightly double pitch of the Mansard type. The arches to the waterway are unusually lofty and narrow. This water mill is built mainly of timber framing and weather boarding but part of the brickwork to the left centre of the picture is included in the mill. |
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Closeup
from the top photo
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The photo above clearly shows the pulley on the gable wall and also a large pile of wood that was possibly waiting to be sawn on the engine driven circular saw. |
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March
1967
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March
1977 |
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TO MILLERS |
| At the beginning of October (Unless disposed of by Private
Contract) The valuable FREEHOLD MILLS at Barnham Broom, Norfolk, consisting of an excellent water mill & windmill, with flour mills, machinery & going gears complete, now in full trade. Also a good substantial built Dwelling house lately titted up, with a well planted garden & 4 acres of excellent meadow land adjoining & a chaise house, granaries, stable, waggon lodge, piggeries & other suitable Buildings. The Machinery in the Mills are recently built & the Mills are capable of manufacturing at least 7 lasts of corn per week. Barnham Broom is situate in a fine corn country, 4 miles from Wymondham, 7 from Dereham & only 9 from Norwich, all good corn markets. Possession may be had at Michaelmas next & a moity of the purchase money (if required) may remain upon mortgage for a term of years. Apply to Mr. John Stedman, the proprietor, at Barnham Broom Mills near Wymondham. Mr. George Shafto, Millwright, St. Martins at Oak, Norwich, or Mr. S. GILMAN, Solr. Hingham. Norfolk Chronicle - 12th & 19th September 1818 |
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To be SOLD by AUCTION, |
On Saturday, 31st October, at 4 o'clock, At the White Swan Inn, Norwich.
(Unless sooner disposed of by Private Contract) The valuable FREEHOLD MILLS at Barnham Broom, Norfolk, consisting of an excellent watermill and windmill, with flour mills, machinery and going gears complete, now in full trade. Also a good substantial built Dwelling-house lately fitted up, with a well planted garden and 4 acres of excellent meadow land adjoining, and a chaise house, granaries, stable, waggon lodge, piggeries and other suitable Buildings. The Machinery in the Mills are recently built and the Mills are capable of manufacturing 7 lasts of corn per week. Barnham Broom is situate in a fine corn country, 4 miles form Wymondham, 7 from Dereham and only 9 from Norwich, all good corn markets. The Land Tax is 24s. per annum and there is no other annual out going whatsoever. Possession may be had at Michaelmas next and a moiety of the purchase money (if required) may remain upon Mortgage for a term of years. Apply to Mr. John Steadman, the Proprietor, at Barnham Broom Mills, near Wymondham, Mr. George Shafto, Millwright, St. Martin's at Oak, Norwich, or Mr. S. Gilman, Solicitor, Hingham. Norfolk Chronicle - 10th, 17th & 24th October 1818 |
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Robert Atkins miller c.1836 - c.1847 married Hannah Johnson on 17th February 1830 at North Elmham. While living at Barnham Broom mill they had nine children: Alfred Barzillai b.1832, Hannah Elizabeth b.1832, William Robert b.1833, Goddard George b.1834, Thomas b.1835, Hannah b.1837, Henry Charles b.1839, Susannah b.1841 and Robert b.1842. Hannah Atkins died in 1842, possibly as a result of childbirth complications. |
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Detail
from the death certificate of 6 year old William Atkins who died after
being accidentally burnt on 26th November, 1839
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Tithe Award 1847 |
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| No. 259 No. 260 |
Windmill & yard Dwelling house, water mill etc |
Pasture Pasture |
0a. 1r. 11p. 1a. 0r. 4p. |
2/8d 8/5d |
To Millers. To be Let. With Immediate Possession |
To be Let with possession at Michaelmas next |
| Barnham Broom Mills John Standley has received instructions to Sell by Auction all the Live & Dead FARMING STOCK, Mill Carriages & Sacks … of Mr. Burton B. Harvey under a Deed of Assignment. Particulars in future papers .. Auctioneer’s office, Wymondham. Norfolk News - 26th November 1864 |
| To be Let on Lease. With immediate possession. The Barnham Broom Water & Wind Mills With an excellent Residence & about 42 acres of fine Arable & Pasture Land. The Water Mill drives three pairs of Stones & the Windmill two pairs. Apply to Mr. Forrester, Tombland, Norwich. Norfolk Chronicle & Norfolk News - 26th November 1864 |
To be Let |
The Bankruptcy Act, 1861 In the MATTER of the Deed of Conveyance for the benefit of Creditors executed by David Sayer of Barnham Broom near Wymondham in the County of Norfolk, Miller & Farmer bearing the date the 11th day of March 1867 & duly registered under & in pursuance of the 192nd section of the above Act. THE TRUSTEES of the above named David Sayer hereby give notice … To declare a Dividend on all debts due from the said David Sayer … Dated this 25th day of May 1867 J.H. Tillett & Son Solicitors to the said Trustee St. Andrews Street, Norwich. Norfolk Chronicle - 1st June 1867 |
| Sale Tuesday September 24 Under instructions from Mr. D. Sayer (Live stock) 12 o'c at the Mills. Norfolk Chronicle - 21st September 1867 |
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Situations Vacant |
Sale of effects of Mr. Sippens T. Turner, who relinquishes occupation of the Mills. |
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Headrace
March 1967
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Old
watercourse March 1967 |
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Barnham Broom Inquest |
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March
1977
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Old
brickwork in 1977 |
Mill House, Barnham Broom, Nr Wymondham |
GRADE II |
FOR SALE FREEHOLD £38,000 |
Mill House is a C18 house erected on two storeys. It has 5 bedrooms and there is a self contained annexe. Outside is an old stable block converted to provide a studio/games room and car port. The grounds include old mill workings and extend to nearly 3 acres. |
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During renovation of the mill in the 1980s a series of gas pipes were discovered that were traced back to a small acetylene production plant to the side of the mill that provided lighting before the advent of electricity in the vicinity. |
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Wheelrace
5th January 2003
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Headrace
5th January 2003 |
When the mill
was constructed, much of the brickwork base was built on slats of wood with
no foundations with the area above and between the water arches being simply
filled in with loose rubble. Over time, the mortar eroded and was washed
away taking bricks with it. Eventually, during the 1990s, a 3 foot by 9
foot section of what was the old mill base suddenly collapsed, leaving a
deep hole in the brick river channel. It took in excess of two full loads
of readymixed concrete to fill the abyss. |
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5th
January 2003
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5th
January 2003 |
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Remains
of the windmill base 5th January 2003
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My great, great grandfather was Robert Atkins - one time miller at
Barnham Broom Mill. He was born June 1805 and was alive at the 1881 census
- living in London with his wife (Emma), alive sometime in 1882 as recorded
in a Post Office directory for London and dead by the 1891 census, as Emma
was described as a widow. She was living in Wandsworth/Putney at the 1891
census. She died in 1892. Roger Atkins - December 2004 |
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31st
May 2004
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We were doing some research into my wife's family -
Yeomans - and the connection with Barnham Broom. On reading the file on the two Mills by chance - bingo - because there was a reference to the 1841 census and the connection we were looking for..... Ralph Yeomans age 25 was a servant at the mill in 1841 and coming by that year was a family of journeyman millers with a young daughter !! |
Listed under Census 1841 is recorded a family by the name of 'Cook'. William Cook (a Journeyman Miller) and his wife Clarissa Cook are noted to be at the Mill with their five children... |
I stayed at Mill House in about the mid 1960s when I was a child. It belonged to my mother's cousin Joe Gurney. He lived there for a while I think and then moved to Northrepps Hall. Alexandra Walker - 8th March 2024 |
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O. S. Map 1881 |
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O.S. Map 2005 Image reproduced under licence from Ordnance Survey |
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Poll book 1802: Richard Jary, miller (possibly wind)
White's 1845: Robert Atkins, miller Tithe Award 1847: Owner Lord Wodehouse; Occupier Robert AtkinsApril 1848: Mill advertised to be let April 1848: Mill let to Tingey & Roberson, farmers & merchants
(trustees to Robert Atkins)
1853: Tingey & Roberson, farmers & merchants, also at Hardingham
- also owned by Lord Wodehouse |
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 07510742 | Copyright © Jonathan Neville 2003 |