The mill house to the right of the mill still stood in 2009 but the mill had long gone. The mill stood beside the present A148 close to the junction with Holway Road that leads down to Sheringham and occupied the second highest site of any windmill in Norfolk. It was only a few feet lower than Briningham Smockmill.

Tablet on Mill house: S.E.C. 1818

Tenement, windmill and lands in Sheringham and East Beckham leased by Ashe Windham to William Tower for 21 yrs in 1710; with articles of agreement, 1709, and schedule of mill gear.
1 paper, 1 parchment held in Norfolk Record Office - 1710

In 1883 William Critoph was working Yaxham_towermill and Mattishall_Mill_Road_towermill and he was a descendent of Robert Critoph of Gresham who in turn was probably related to the Critoph milling family of Sheringham and Upper Sheringham.

Henry Bright (1810-1873) of the Norwich School, used this postmill as the subject for his oil painting Windmill at Sheringham, which is in the Norwich Castle Museum collection. Bright's view contained a considerable amount of artistic licence as the mill was never on the spot that Bright suggested it was and he painted it so close to the house that it would have been impossible to turn the mill to wind through 360 deg. The mill is shown with patent sails.

The Critoph milling family of Sheringham and Upper Sheringham were probably related to Robert Critoph of Gresham who in turn was probably related to William Critoph, who built Yaxham_towermill. Robert Critoph of Upper Sheringham mill married Bell Olley at Barney on 13th November 1832.

Elizabeth Ann Breeze listed in the 1871 census (below) was the daughter of Robert Cooper Breeze and his wife Elizabeth née Critoph who were married on 19th November 1851 at Upper Sheringham. Elizabeth Ann was born on 17th April 1853 and her mother was the Elizabeth Critoph, listed as niece in the 1851 Census.

Matthew Slipper was the illigitimate son of the 4th Earl of Orford. His mother Charlotte was a seamstress at Mannington Hall. She later married a Tipple and produced another child by him. I have a detailed family history which tells me that Matthew was still at the Lobster Inn, Sheringham, in 1902. He married Susan Cooper of Upper Sheringham. They had 10 children 8 of which survived. There are 2 graves in the churchyard at Upper Sheringham.  He was much involved in the local leadership, now council. He handled the Poor Law money in Lower Sheringham. One of his sons was the Village Constable, another had a sweet shop and a third, my grandfather, was a grocer and two daughters were teachers at the Upper Sheringham School. He died in 1919  Much of this information was gleaned from books written by Peter Cox, a local councillor and a family history produced by a relative. I have yet to discover why he was in Nottinghamshire when he died (perhaps one of his children lived there?) He is buried in West Bridgeford.
He was first apprenticed as a miller at Itteringham_water-mill. He was not denied by the Earl and was baptised by Bishop Cremer-Cremer. The Earl had no other children !
Michael Slipper - 3rd February 2010

Charlotte Slipper was the 10th child of James Slipper (born c.1818). James was a wheelwright. He married Mary Worm (born c.1775) both were buried at Itteringham. They lived next door to James and Hannah Burrell.
One of their sons, Samuel was a publican and wheelwright. All the children were baptised at Itteringham and several buried there. Charlotte, by then a Tipple,  witnessed his marriage at St. Simons and St. Jude, Norwich.
Matthew was clearly a champion of the fishermen at Sheringham. The local council of the day erected posts in a passage way between the West Beach in Sheringham and the East Beach. This prevented the fishermen from the west beach reaching the Fish Auctions, which were held on the east beach,  with their barrows. It is told that Matthew and a colleague, possibly from the Crown Inn near the Lobster, removed the posts at dead of night. Everyone knew who had done 'the deed'  but not a person spoke out. The passage is known as Slipper's Loke and is marked as such on the Town map of today. The family have always known it as such.  
Michael Slipper - 5th February 2010

Kelly's 1879: Robert John Critoph, farmer

White's 1883: John Robert Critoph, farmer & surveyor

White's 1890: John Robert Critoph, farmer

Kelly's 1900: Matthew Arthur Slipper, Lobster inn

Kelly's 1904: Matthew Arthur Slipper, Lobster inn

Kelly's 1908: James Slipper, confectioner, High st
Kelly's 1908: Matthew Arthur Slipper, Lobster inn, High street

Kelly's 1912: James Slipper, confectioner, High st
Kelly's 1912: Matthew Arthur Slipper, Lobster inn, High street

Kelly's 1916: James Slipper, confectioner, High st

1818: New mill built on site of earlier postmill

1822: Mill Cottage built

Bryant's map 1826: Windmill

White's 1836: Samuel Critops, corn miller

O.S. map 1838: Windmill

Tithe map survey 1838: Samuel Critoph (b.1783) miller, also owner of Sheringham watermill and possibly owner of Salthouse smockmill

Kelly's 1879: Robert Critoph, corn miller

1895: Mill Cottage extended

Kelly's 1900: John William Warby, miller (wind)

O.S. map 1904: Upper Sheringham Mill

Kelly's 1904: John William Warby, miller (wind) & farmer

Kelly's 1908: John William Warby, miller (wind) & farmer

1912: Steam power added to supplement wind power

Kelly's 1912: John William Warby, miller (wind & steam) & farmer. The Mill farm

Kelly's 1916: John William Warby, miller (wind & steam) & farmer. The Mill farm

c.1922: Mill ceased working

O.S. map 1926: Mill House

Copyright © Jonathan Neville 2004