Brograve Mill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brograve Drainage Windmill |
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Brograve Mill as it looks today
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| Origin | |
| Mill location | Sea Palling, North Norfolk, East of England, Norfolk, England |
| Coordinates | 52°45′13″N 1°37′34″E / 52.75361°N 1.62621°E |
| Year built | 1771 |
Brograve Mill is a special type of windpump located in the beautiful Norfolk Broads National Park in the United Kingdom. It stands near a village called Sea Palling, about one mile north of Horsey Mere, a lovely lake. This old mill is so important that it's a 'Grade II listed building,' which means it's protected because of its history.
A Look Back in Time
Brograve Mill is built from red bricks. Today, it is very old and damaged, making it unsafe to enter. It was built way back in 1771 by a person named Sir Berney Brograve. People think the mill stopped working around 1930.
How the Mill Worked
The mill had a special part called an 8-bladed windmill fantail. This fantail helped turn the mill's cap, which looked a bit like a boat. The cap held two pairs of "patent shuttered sails." These sails were like giant blades that caught the wind.
The wind's power turned an internal turbine pump. This pump's main job was to drain water from the Brograve levels. It sent the water into a man-made waterway called the Waxham New Cut. Brograve Mill is one of two mills on this water path. The other one is Lambridge Mill, which is also no longer working.
Brograve Mill Today
If you visit Brograve Mill today, you'll see that only two main parts of the original sails, called "stocks," and two smaller parts, called "stubs," are left. The mill also leans quite a bit towards the west. This lean has led to a fun local story! Some people say a furious Devil tried to blow the mill down to stop Brograve's drainage work.
How to See the Mill
The Waxham New Cut separates Brograve Mill from the land, so you can't walk right up to it. However, you can get a good view from the east side. There's a path along the Waxham New Cut that starts from Horsey Mere. Following this path will give you a close look at the mill. There's also a farm track on private land owned by Brograve Farm.
The only way to get directly to the mill is by boat along the Waxham New Cut. But remember, the mill is very unsafe, so it's strongly advised not to go inside it.
