Gayton Windmill, Norfolk
Encyclopedia
For the Gayton Windmill now in Merseyside see Gayton Windmill, Cheshire
Gayton Mill is a Grade II listed tower mill
at Gayton
, Norfolk
, England
which has been truncated and converted to holiday accommodation.
was standing at Gayton in 1797 when it was marked of Faden's map of Norfolk. The mill was advertised for sale in 1815 and 1819. The tower mill had been built by 1824, when it was marked on the first edition Ordnance Survey
map of Norfolk. Robert Matthews was the miller in 1836. In 1872, the mill was offered to let. By then a steam mill powered by a 8 hp Clayton & Shuttleworth
steam engine was working an additional three pairs of French Burr millstone
s. The mills were took by Edward Lewis, who had previously been at a watermill
at West Acre
. The mill was sold by auction
on 23 September 1873 at the Globe Hotel, King's Lynn
. It was bought by Edward Lewis. The mills remained in the Lewis family, and a limited company
, Gayton Mills Co Ltd, was formed in 1919. The mill had ceased working by wind at this time, power being provided by a Blackstone
paraffin engine. The engine was later replaced by a diesel engine. The sails were removed c1925. The mills were worked by engine until 1937. The mill retained its cap and fanstage in 1933 but had become derelict by 1949. The cap and top storey of the mill had been removed by the time the mill buildings were advertised for sale by auction in King's Lynn on 29 July 1980. They were withdrawn from the auction and later sold privately. The new owners converted the mill to a residential craft centre. They also planned to restore the cap and sails of the mill. In 1987, planning permission was granted to use the mill as seasonal holiday accommodation. It is now, (2011, I don`t know when its use changed) however used as accommodation for people who unfortunately have mental health problems.
Reference for above:-
Gayton Mill is a Grade II listed tower mill
Tower mill
A tower mill is a type of windmill which consists of a brick or stone tower, on top of which sits a roof or cap which can be turned to bring the sails into the wind....
at Gayton
Gayton, Norfolk
Gayton is a small village in the west of the English county of Norfolk. It is 7.3 miles east of the town of King's Lynn, and 10.1 miles north-west of the town of Swaffham. The Gaywood River has its source just north of the village at Derby Fen...
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
which has been truncated and converted to holiday accommodation.
History
A post millPost mill
The post mill is the earliest type of European windmill. The defining feature is that the whole body of the mill that houses the machinery is mounted on a single vertical post, around which it can be turned to bring the sails into the wind. The earliest post mills in England are thought to have...
was standing at Gayton in 1797 when it was marked of Faden's map of Norfolk. The mill was advertised for sale in 1815 and 1819. The tower mill had been built by 1824, when it was marked on the first edition Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
map of Norfolk. Robert Matthews was the miller in 1836. In 1872, the mill was offered to let. By then a steam mill powered by a 8 hp Clayton & Shuttleworth
Clayton & Shuttleworth
Clayton & Shuttleworth was an engineering company located at Stamp End Works, Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The company was established in 1842 when Nathaniel Clayton formed a partnership with his brother-in-law, Joseph Shuttleworth .-History:...
steam engine was working an additional three pairs of French Burr millstone
Millstone
Millstones or mill stones are used in windmills and watermills, including tide mills, for grinding wheat or other grains.The type of stone most suitable for making millstones is a siliceous rock called burrstone , an open-textured, porous but tough, fine-grained sandstone, or a silicified,...
s. The mills were took by Edward Lewis, who had previously been at a watermill
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
at West Acre
West Acre
West Acre is a village in the King's Lynn and West Norfolk district of the county of Norfolk, England.The village is on the Nar Valley Way pathway.-Billiards Club:...
. The mill was sold by auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
on 23 September 1873 at the Globe Hotel, King's Lynn
King's Lynn
King's Lynn is a sea port and market town in the ceremonial county of Norfolk in the East of England. It is situated north of London and west of Norwich. The population of the town is 42,800....
. It was bought by Edward Lewis. The mills remained in the Lewis family, and a limited company
Limited company
A limited company is a company in which the liability of the members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. And the former of these, a limited company limited by shares, may be...
, Gayton Mills Co Ltd, was formed in 1919. The mill had ceased working by wind at this time, power being provided by a Blackstone
Blackstone & Co
Blackstone & Co. was a farm implement maker at Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. In 1896 they built lamp start oil engines. By 1912 they had developed a new diesel engine that ran on vaporizing oil and was fired by a spark...
paraffin engine. The engine was later replaced by a diesel engine. The sails were removed c1925. The mills were worked by engine until 1937. The mill retained its cap and fanstage in 1933 but had become derelict by 1949. The cap and top storey of the mill had been removed by the time the mill buildings were advertised for sale by auction in King's Lynn on 29 July 1980. They were withdrawn from the auction and later sold privately. The new owners converted the mill to a residential craft centre. They also planned to restore the cap and sails of the mill. In 1987, planning permission was granted to use the mill as seasonal holiday accommodation. It is now, (2011, I don`t know when its use changed) however used as accommodation for people who unfortunately have mental health problems.
Description
Gayton Mill was an eight storey tower mill with a stage at the third floor. The tower is 22 feet (6.71 m) inside diameter at base level, with walls 2 feet (609.6 mm) thick. It had an ogee cap, and was winded by a six bladed fantail. It had four Patent sails and drove three pairs of overdrift millstones. The surviving stone nut is of cast iron with wooden teeth. The upright shaft is partly wooden and partly cast iron. The great spur wheel is cast iron, it has a cast iron crown wheel underneath. The tower has been truncated by one storey and the top is crenellated.Millers
- Robert Matthews 1836-46
- Walter Hall 1853-72
- Edward Lewis 1872-92
- Henry Lewis 1896-1900
- Alred Lewis 1998-1919
- Alfred Littleproud 1901
- Gayton Mills Co 1912-19
- Gayton Mills Co Ltd 1919-37
Reference for above:-
External links
- Windmill World webpage on Gayton Mill.