Great Bircham Windmill
Encyclopedia
Great Bircham Windmill is a Grade II listed tower mill
in Great Bircham
, Norfolk
, England
.
in Great Bircham is in 1761, when miller Richard Miller made his will. The mill, which was probably a post mill
, was offered for sale in 1769. In 1800 the miller, Robert Sparham, was in financial difficulties and made a Deed of Assignment
. In 1804 the mill was offered for sale or to let by George Humphrey. The next miller was Bloom Humphrey, who was followed by his widow Martha and then their son George. The mill remained in the Humphrey family until it was demolished c1846 to enable a new tower mill to be built on its site.
The tower mill was built for George Humphrey in 1846, a date stone to this effect is located between two windows on the first floor of the mill. The mill was built from cream coloured bricks, but was latter tarred. The mill was offered to let in 1856 and again in 1861. An accident in March 1864 in which George Humphrey was driving his cart whilst drunk resulted in the death of his wife Elizabeth. In April the mill was ordered to be sold by the mortgagees. An auction
was held on 13 May at the Hare Inn, Docking
. The next millers were Henry and Philip Stanton, followed by Walter Palmer. He left Norfolk in 1882 and Joseph Wagg took the mill, followed by a succession of Howards. William Howard was the last miller. The mill was working in 1916 but had ceased by 1922. The sails and fantail had been removed by 1934.
The mill was part of the Houghton Estate
of the Marquess of Cholmondeley
. In 1939 the mill was sold to Her Majesty the Queen
, becoming part of the Sandringham Estate
. The mill was purchased from Her Majesty the Queen
by Roger Wagg in May 1976 and restoration of the mill commenced in 1977.
The restoration of the mill began in 1977. The cap frame was removed on 17 August 1979 by Messrs Lennard & Lawn, millwright
s, based at Caston
. The new cap was fitted on 2 August 1979. The first pair of sails were fitted on 17 May 1980 and the second pair on 26 May 1983. The tower was coated with Bellecoat Stipple, a black resin-based
protective covering. Internally, new floors were fitted, and a new stage constructed around the mill. Replacement machinery was sourced from other windmills. The drive for the sack hoist came from Harpley.
Tower mill
Reference for above:-
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....
in Great Bircham
Great Bircham
Great Bircham is the largest of the three villages that make up the civil parish of Bircham, in the west of the English county of Norfolk. The village is located about 1 km south of the village of Bircham Newton, the same distance west of the village of Bircham Tofts, 20 km north-east of...
, 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...
.
History
The earliest record of a windmillWindmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
in Great Bircham is in 1761, when miller Richard Miller made his will. The mill, which was probably a post mill
Post 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 offered for sale in 1769. In 1800 the miller, Robert Sparham, was in financial difficulties and made a Deed of Assignment
Assignment (law)
An assignment is a term used with similar meanings in the law of contracts and in the law of real estate. In both instances, it encompasses the transfer of rights held by one party—the assignor—to another party—the assignee...
. In 1804 the mill was offered for sale or to let by George Humphrey. The next miller was Bloom Humphrey, who was followed by his widow Martha and then their son George. The mill remained in the Humphrey family until it was demolished c1846 to enable a new tower mill to be built on its site.
The tower mill was built for George Humphrey in 1846, a date stone to this effect is located between two windows on the first floor of the mill. The mill was built from cream coloured bricks, but was latter tarred. The mill was offered to let in 1856 and again in 1861. An accident in March 1864 in which George Humphrey was driving his cart whilst drunk resulted in the death of his wife Elizabeth. In April the mill was ordered to be sold by the mortgagees. An 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...
was held on 13 May at the Hare Inn, Docking
Docking, Norfolk
Docking is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk and contains the highest point in North West Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 1,150 in 469 households as of the 2001 census....
. The next millers were Henry and Philip Stanton, followed by Walter Palmer. He left Norfolk in 1882 and Joseph Wagg took the mill, followed by a succession of Howards. William Howard was the last miller. The mill was working in 1916 but had ceased by 1922. The sails and fantail had been removed by 1934.
The mill was part of the Houghton Estate
Houghton Hall
Houghton Hall is a country house in Norfolk, England. It was built for the de facto first British Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole, and it is a key building in the history of Palladian architecture in England...
of the Marquess of Cholmondeley
George Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley
George Horatio Charles Cholmondeley, 5th Marquess of Cholmondeley GCVO , styled Earl of Rocksavage from birth until 1923, was a British peer. He was the Lord Great Chamberlain of England in 1936 and also between 1952 and 1966.-Personal:...
. In 1939 the mill was sold to Her Majesty the Queen
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
, becoming part of the Sandringham Estate
Sandringham House
Sandringham House is a country house on of land near the village of Sandringham in Norfolk, England. The house is privately owned by the British Royal Family and is located on the royal Sandringham Estate, which lies within the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.-History and current...
. The mill was purchased from Her Majesty the Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
by Roger Wagg in May 1976 and restoration of the mill commenced in 1977.
The restoration of the mill began in 1977. The cap frame was removed on 17 August 1979 by Messrs Lennard & Lawn, millwright
Millwright
A millwright is a craftsman or tradesman engaged with the construction and maintenance of machinery.Early millwrights were specialist carpenters who erected machines used in agriculture, food processing and processing lumber and paper...
s, based at Caston
Caston Windmill
Caston Tower Windmill is a grade II* listed tower mill at Caston, Norfolk, England which is under restoration. The mill is also a scheduled monument.-History:...
. The new cap was fitted on 2 August 1979. The first pair of sails were fitted on 17 May 1980 and the second pair on 26 May 1983. The tower was coated with Bellecoat Stipple, a black resin-based
Resin
Resin in the most specific use of the term is a hydrocarbon secretion of many plants, particularly coniferous trees. Resins are valued for their chemical properties and associated uses, such as the production of varnishes, adhesives, and food glazing agents; as an important source of raw materials...
protective covering. Internally, new floors were fitted, and a new stage constructed around the mill. Replacement machinery was sourced from other windmills. The drive for the sack hoist came from Harpley.
Description
Great Bircham Mill is a five storey tower mill with a stage at third floor level. The tower is 52 feet (15.85 m) to curb level and 25 feet (7.62 m) outside diameter at the base, with walls 2 in 6 in (762 mm) thick. It has an ogee cap with a gallery. The cap is winded by a six bladed fantail. Four double Patent sails are carried on a cast iron windshaft. The wallower and upright shaft are of cast iron. The great spur wheel has a cast iron centre and iron teeth. The mill drives two pairs of French Burr millstones.Millers
Post mill- Richard Miller 1761-84
- Robert Sparham 1800
- George Humphrey 1804
- Bloom Humphrey 1836-
- Martha Humphrey -1845
- George Humphrey 1845-46
Tower mill
- George Humphrey 1846-64
- Henry Stanton 1864-75
- Philip Stanton 1864-75
- Walter Palmer 1878-82
- Joseph Wagg 1883-88
- Thomas Howard 1890-96
- Mrs Howard 1900-08
- William Alfred Howard 1912-16
- Roger Wagg 1976-2006
- Steve & Elly Chalmers 2006 to date
Reference for above:-
Public access
Great Bircham Windmill is open daily from Easter to the end of September between 10:00 and 17:00. Coach parties by arrangement.External links
- Windmill World webpage on Great Bircham Mill.
- Great Bircham Windmill website