Thas A Fact?

Burnham Overy Towermill.

The 8th and 9th of May 2010 represent National Mills Weekend across the UK, a celebration of the heritage of wind and water mills. It is a great opportunity to visit and explore some of the Country’s mills, many of which are not otherwise open to the public.

With some 900+ mills throughout Norfolk, we thought it’d be a good excuse to focus on a handful – a classical ‘windmill’, a watermill and a postmill that is still under construction.

Bircham Windmill (Great Bircham, Norfolk, PE31 6SJ. Tel: 01485 578393).

Looking up at Bircham Windmill.

Found only a few miles from Sandringham and Hunstanton in North-West Norfolk, Bircham Windmill is considered to be one of the best remaining examples of a British Windmill. It is also the only working windmill in its locale to be open to the public. Brave visitors can ascend the five floors to the fan stage and, on windy days, you can see the sails and milling machinery turning.

Carefully restored to look just as it did over a Century ago, a visit to Bircham Windmill offers the rare opportunity to experience the history and character of a Norfolk Corn Mill – a phenomenon that was once prolific in this region. On site is the original bakery and baking shop, an animal petting area and play area for the kids and a rather nice Tea Rooms.

Entry to the Tea Rooms and gardens is free. There is a small entry fee to enter the windmill.

Open Apr-Sep.

Letheringsett Watermill (Riverside Road, Letheringsett, Norfolk, NR25 7YD. Tel: 01263 713513).

Exterior of Letheringsett Watermill.

In a beautiful green setting in Letheringsett (just around the corner from Holt), Letheringsett Watermill is the last remaining watermill in Norfolk to produce flour.

Though a watermill was recorded at Letheringsett at the time of the Domesday book, the mill you see today was built in 1802. In 1987 Mike and Marion Thurlow lovingly restored it to working order. Now Letheringsett supplies its organic flour (produced from locally grown wheat) to numerous high-quality restaurants, pubs, bakeries and hotels across Norfolk and beyond.

Letheringsett Mill holds regular working demonstrations of milling and tours of the mill on most weekday afternoons. Mike is usually on hand to give an informative and fascinating insight into the history of the mill and the ancient practice of flour production using a water-powered mill. After watching the wheat being ground into flour yourself, you can purchase both the flour and many products made from it at the on-site mill shop.

Open all year (times vary with season). Closed Sundays, Bank Holidays and some days over Christmas.

Thrigby Windmill (NR29 3DY – About 3 miles W of Caister, off A1064, between Mautby and Thrigby. Tel: 01493 369858).

Though a mill has occupied this site since the late 1700′s, the one you see today is a recent construction (the original mill being dismantled after an infestation of Death Watch Beetle). One of only three postmills in Norfolk, Thrigby Windmill shares the defining feature in 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.

Now owned by Peter and Tricia Gillett, Thrigby Windmill is normally only open to public on Bank Holiday Mondays or by prior appointment. It will be open for both days of the National Mills Weekend.

Other useful links:

www.norfolkmills.co.uk/index.html

www.friendsofnorfolkmills.org

Flour milled at Letheringsett Watermill.