Hempnall Mill Road Towermill

Hempnall Mill Rd towermill was a 4 storey towermill that was built in 1814 in an adjacent field to the existing postmill and eventually took over the whole business. The mill was built by James Carver under a 150 year lease dated 26th May 1814 granted to him by The Trustees of the Inhabitants for the time being of the Town of Hempnall at a ground rent of £3 per annum.

He was granted the land to build One brick Tower Wind Mill of a proper and sufficient size and dimension … with all its requisite going gears and appurtenances fit for grinding corn and grain. He was also to ensure the mill was properly maintained. At the end of the lease, the owner was to take the mill down and remove it in order to leave the land in a fit state for cultivation.

The mill was originally designed to draw trefoil seeds as well as grind wheat to flour. The seeds stones were almost certainly taken from the postmill and installed into the more powerful towermill. However, by 1833 the pair of seed stones had been replaced by a second pair of Fench burr stones.

The 25 foot tower with 2ft 3in thick walls, had two doors on the ground floor and held a boat shaped cap with a petticoat and a 6 bladed, left handed fan. The mill was powered by four double shuttered sails, the outer pair having 8 bays of 3 shutters and the inner pair having 7 bays of 3 shutters and 1 bay of 2 shutters. The sails were struck by rack & pinion via a chain pole. drove a pair of seed stones and a pair of French burr stones. A flour mill and jumper were also in use.

James Carver snr mortgaged the leasehold mill complex and land to Thomas White, a local farmer from Shotesham for £200. In December 1828 they both assigned equal shares of the remainder of the lease to James Carver’s other son, Thomas Carver and a David Irwin, both men being printers working in Norwich. They in turn took out a mortgage from Robert Youngs of Lakenham for £200 in January 1829.

On 9th December 1978, the Hempnall Mill Centre for Day Care held an informal open day prior to opening on 12th December that year. The Centre was the result of a joint project between the Norfolk Social Services Department and the Trustees of the 400 year old Hempnall Town Estate Poor Charity and was designed by Norfolk’s assistant architect. The mill tower was converted to form a cosy sitting room.

News from the past . . .

To Farmers & Seed Merchants
DRAWING – Sketch of towermill – SEEDS
James Carver, Hempnall, near Long Stratton
Begs to inform Farmers & Seed Merchants they may have
CLOVER, SUCKLING & TREFOIL SEEDS
Drawn & DRESSED at the shortest notice,
on the following terms
Trefoil 4s 6d. ditto
Clover 4s 6d. ditto
Suckling 2s. 6d. per bushel
N.B. Any order for J. C. left with his Son at the Golden Ball, Castle Ditches, Norwich, will be punctually attended to.
Norfolk Chronicle – 11th February 1815

To Millers HEMPNALL
To be Sold by Auction
By J. Sharpe & Son At the King’s Head Inn, Hempnall
On Monday March 29 at 3 o’c
A newly erected BRICK TOWER WINDMILL, four floors, with a pair of new French Stones & a pair of SEED Stones & Going Gears complete.
Also a large POSTMILL with two pair of French Stones & Flour Mill & all Going Gears complete. This mill may be had separate if wanted to remove.
The above are in adjoining fields & are situated in Hempnall, near Long Stratton, an excellent corn country & well situated for trade being nine miles from Norwich, eight from Bungay & seven from Harleston..
Enquire of James Carver, the proprietor, Hempnall or the auctioneer.
Norfolk Chronicle – 6th, 20th & 27th March 1819

Last Sunday afternoon during a violent gale of wind from the W.N.W. approaching almost a hurricane, a windmill at Bungay was blown down, and two others, one at Hempnall and another at Sprowston lost their caps and sails.
Norfolk Chronicle – 6th January 1827

For more history about these mills and many others, please visit – www.norfolkmills.co.uk