List of windmills in Norfolk facts for kids

Windmills are amazing machines that use the power of wind to do work, like grinding grain into flour or pumping water. For hundreds of years, they were super important for communities, especially before electricity was invented!

Norfolk, a county in England, is famous for its many windmills. Some were used to grind corn, while others, called drainage mills, helped to remove water from the land. This article will tell you about some of the cool windmills in Norfolk that weren't just for drainage.

Types of Windmills in Norfolk

Windmills come in different shapes and sizes. In Norfolk, you'll mostly find two main types:

Post Mills

A post mill is the oldest type of windmill. The whole body of the mill, which holds the grinding machinery, can turn on a large central post. This allows the miller to point the sails into the wind. Imagine turning a whole house to catch the breeze!

Tower Mills

A tower mill is built from brick or stone. Only the top part, called the "cap," turns to face the wind. This makes them much stronger and taller than post mills. They could also hold more machinery inside.

Smock Mills

A smock mill looks a bit like a farmer's smock (a loose overshirt). They have a wooden tower that is wider at the bottom and gets narrower towards the top. Like tower mills, only their cap turns to catch the wind.

Famous Windmills You Can Still See

Norfolk has some amazing windmills that are still standing today. Some are even open to visitors! Here are a few examples:

Aslacton Windmill

The Aslacton Windmill is a tall tower mill that was built around 1834. It's a great example of how these strong mills were built to last.

Aylsham's Cawston Road Mill

The Cawston Road Mill in Aylsham is another impressive tower mill. It was first mentioned in 1826. Even though demolition started in 1920, it was never finished, so parts of it are still there!

Belton's Black Mill

The Black Mill in Belton is a tower mill that was built in 1910. It's a more modern example of a windmill, showing how they continued to be built into the 20th century.

Billingford Windmill

The Billingford Windmill is a tower mill built in 1860. It stands tall and is a reminder of the busy milling days in the area.

Burnham Overy Windmills

In Burnham Overy, you can find two notable windmills. The Burnham Overy Mill, a tower mill, dates back to 1816. Close by is Union Mills, another tower mill built in 1814. These mills show how important wind power was for this area.

Carbrooke's Mill Lane Mill

The Mill Lane Mill in Carbrooke is a tower mill that was built in 1856. It replaced an older post mill that was demolished.

Caston Windmill

The Caston Windmill is a tower mill that was built in 1864. Interestingly, an older post mill from Caston was moved to Old Buckenham in the same year!

Catfield's Swim Coots Mill

Swim Coots Mill in Catfield is a tower mill from 1838. While it's also listed as a drainage mill, it shows how some mills had multiple uses.

Cley Windmill

One of the most famous windmills in Norfolk is Cley Mill. This beautiful tower mill was built in 1819 and is now a popular place to stay.

Denver Windmill

Denver Mill is a well-known tower mill that was built in 1835. It's a great example of a restored windmill that you can visit and learn about.

Diss's Button's Mill

In Diss, you'll find Button's Mill, a tower mill built in 1817. It was later partly converted to a composite mill, showing how mills adapted over time.

East Dereham Windmill

The East Dereham Mill is a tower mill built in 1836. It's also known as Fenwick's Mill.

East Harling's Kenninghall Road Mill

The Kenninghall Road Mill in East Harling is a tower mill that dates back to 1820.

East Runton Windmill

The East Runton Mill is a tower mill built in 1826. It's a landmark in the area.

East Ruston's New Mill

East Ruston has a tower mill called New Mill, built in 1868. It was truncated (made shorter) by 1984, but its base remains.

East Wretham Windmill

The East Wretham Mill is a tower mill from 1875. Many old windmills like this one have been converted into homes.

Frettenham Windmill

The Frettenham Mill is a tower mill built around 1870.

Garboldisham Windmill

The Garboldisham Mill is a post mill that was built in 1778. It's a great example of this older style of windmill.

Gayton Windmill

Gayton Mill is a tower mill from 1824. It was later made shorter by one storey.

Great Bircham Windmill

The Great Bircham Mill is a tower mill built in 1846. It replaced an older post mill.

Great Ellingham Windmill

The Great Ellingham Mill is a tower mill built around 1849.

Halvergate Windmill

Halvergate Mill is a tower mill built in 1866. It replaced an older post mill that was taken down.

Harpley Windmill

Harpley Mill is a tower mill built in 1832. It's another example of a mill that replaced an older post mill.

Hempnall's Vout's Mill

Vout's Mill in Hempnall is a tower mill built in 1832.

Hickling Windmill

Hickling Mill is a tower mill that dates back to 1818.

Hindolveston Windmill

Hindolveston Mill is a tower mill built in 1844. It replaced an older post mill that was demolished.

Hindringham's Lower Green Mill

Lower Green Mill in Hindringham is a tower mill built around 1844.

Honingham Windmill

Honingham Mill is a tower mill built in 1826.

Horsford's St Helena Mill

St Helena Mill in Horsford is a tower mill built around 1865.

Ingham's Mill Farm Mill

Mill Farm Mill in Ingham is a tower mill built around 1872.

Little Cressingham Mill

Little Cressingham Mill is a tower mill that was built sometime before 1826.

Little Melton Mill

Little Melton Mill is a tower mill built in 1836.

Ludham's How Hill Mill

How Hill Mill in Ludham is a tower mill built in 1825.

Ludham's St Benet's Abbey Mill

St Benet's Abbey Mill in Ludham is a tower mill from around 1735. It's a very old and interesting mill.

Mileham Mill

Mileham Mill is a tower mill built in 1854.

Mulbarton Mill

Mulbarton Mill is a tower mill built around 1824.

Neatishead Mill

Neatishead Mill is a tower mill built in 1817.

North Creake Mill

North Creake Mill is a tower mill built in 1820.

Norwich Windmills

Norwich and its surrounding areas had many windmills. Here are a few:

Bixley Mill

Bixley Mill is a tower mill built in 1838.

Lakenham's Peafield Mill

Peafield Mill in Lakenham is a tower mill built in 1824.

Sprowston Mill

Sprowston Mill is a post mill built in 1780. It sadly burnt down in 1933.

St Augustine's Gate Mill

St Augustine's Gate Mill in Norwich is a sunk post mill from 1675.

Thorpe's Black Mill

Black Mill, Mousehold in Thorpe, is a post mill built in 1841.

Trowse Mill

Trowse Mill is a post mill built in 1769.

Upper Hellesdon's Press Lane Mill

Press Lane Mill in Upper Hellesdon is a tower mill built in 1875.

Oby's Wiseman's Mill

Wiseman's Mill in Oby is a tower mill that dates back to 1753.

Old Buckenham Windmill

The Old Buckenham Mill is a tower mill built in 1818.

Outwell's Upwell Mill

Upwell Mill in Outwell is a tower mill built in 1829.

Paston's Stow Mill

Stow Mill in Paston is a tower mill built in 1827.

Potter Heigham Mill

Potter Heigham Mill is a tower mill built in 1849.

Reedham's Berney Arms Mill

The Berney Arms Mill is a famous tower mill built in 1865. It's also known as High Mill.

Repps's Morse's Wind Engine Park

At Repps, you can find Morse's Wind Engine Park, which features two Titt iron wind engines from 2008. These are more modern wind-powered machines.

Ringstead Mill

Ringstead Mill is a tower mill built in 1842.

Rockland St Peter's Mill

Rockland St Peter has a tower mill built around 1820.

Roughton's Mill Hill Tower Mill

Roughton Mill Hill Tower Mill is a tower mill built in 1814.

Saham Toney Mill

Saham Toney Mill is a tower mill built in 1826.

Sea Palling Mill

Sea Palling Mill is a tower mill that dates back to 1792.

Shouldham Thorpe's Fodderston Mill

Fodderston Mill in Shouldham Thorpe is a tower mill built in 1830.

Smallburgh's Wayford Bridge Mill

Wayford Bridge Mill in Smallburgh is a tower mill built in 1847. It's also known as Dilham Dyke Mill.

South Walsham Mill

South Walsham Mill is a post mill that was built in 2000. This shows that new windmills are still being built!

Stalham's Staithe Mill

Stalham's Staithe Mill is a tower mill built in 1836.

Stoke Ferry Mill

Stoke Ferry Mill is a tower mill built in the 1860s.

Stokesby Mill

Stokesby Mill, also known as Trett's Mill, is a tower mill built in 1826.

Stratton St Michael's Leeder's Mill

Leeder's Mill in Stratton St Michael is a tower mill built in 1826. It's also known as Long Stratton Mills.

Sutton Mill

Sutton Mill is a tower mill built in 1861.

Thrigby Windmill

Thrigby Mill is a post mill that was rebuilt in 1983. It's a great example of how old mills can be brought back to life.

Thurlton's Great Goliath Mill

Great Goliath Mill in Thurlton is a tower mill built in 1806.

Topcroft Mill

Topcroft Mill is a post mill built in 1838.

Upwell's Sander's Mill

Sander's Mill in Upwell is a tower mill built in 1829. It's also known as Shepherd's Mill.

Walpole St Peter's Cooper's Mill

Cooper's Mill in Walpole St Peter is a tower mill that dates back to 1766.

West Walton Windmills

West Walton has two interesting tower mills. Fen End Mill, also called Sutterby's Mill, was built in 1740. Ingleborough Mill is another tower mill from 1824.

Westwick's Wind Engine

Westwick Hall has a Titt iron wind engine from 1893. This is a different kind of wind-powered machine.

West Winch Windmill

West Winch Mill is a tower mill built around 1821.

Weybourne Windmill

Weybourne Mill is a tower mill built in 1850.

Wicklewood Windmill

Wicklewood Mill is a tower mill built in 1845.

Wiveton's Blakeney Mill

Blakeney Mill in Wiveton is a tower mill that dates back to 1769.

Worstead's Briggate Mill

Briggate Mill in Worstead is a tower mill built in 1854.

Wymondham's Silfield Mill

Silfield Mill in Wymondham is a tower mill built around 1850.

Yaxham Windmill

Yaxham Mill is a tower mill built in 1860.

Maps and Records

Historians and windmill enthusiasts use old maps and records to learn about windmills that no longer exist. These maps help us understand where mills were located and how important they were. Here are some of the maps mentioned in the original records:

• 1675 Ogilvy
• 1736 John Kirby
• 1749 Emanuel Bowen
• 1765 Corbridge
• 1775 Bowles
• 1783 Hodskinson
• 1797 Faden
• 1824 Ordnance Survey
• 1826 Bryant
• 1826^*Bryant
• 1834 Greenwood
• 1837 Ordnance Survey
• 1838 Ordnance Survey