Garboldisham Windmill

Garboldisham Windmill
The mill in 2007
Origin
Mill name	Garboldisham Mill
Mill location	TM 0026 8048
Coordinates	52°23′8.72″N 0°56′28.8″E / 52.3857556°N 0.941333°E / 52.3857556; 0.941333Coordinates: 52°23′8.72″N 0°56′28.8″E / 52.3857556°N 0.941333°E / 52.3857556; 0.941333
Operator(s)	Private
Year built	1770s
Information
Purpose	Corn
Type	Post mill
Roundhouse storeys	Two storey roundhouse
No. of sails	Four sails
Type of sails	Patent sails
Windshaft	Cast iron
Winding	Fantail
Fantail blades	Eight blades
No. of pairs of millstones	Two pairs, located in the breast
Size of millstones	4 feet 4 inches (1.32 m)

Garboldisham Mill is a Grade II* listedpost mill at Garboldisham, Norfolk, that has been restored.

Although millers were recorded in Garboldisham during the sixteenth century, the first record of a windmill was in 1739 when Ishmael Pizzey left his windmill to his wife. In the 1770s, James Turner, a farmer of Blo' Norton, built the surviving mill. The mill was marked on Joseph Hodskinson's map of Suffolk, 1783 and Faden's map of Norfolk, 1797. Also shown on this map was a smock mill to the south which had been erected by James Turner in 1788. In 1802, he sold both mills to John Button for £795. A tower mill was built to the north of the post mill in 1820. A new windshaft was fitted on 8 July 1827. In March 1831, a pair of Patent sails were fitted to the mill. A fantail was also added at this time. It is likely that the mill was re-arranged with both pair of millstones relocated to the breast instead of being arranged head and tail. All three mills were shown on the 1837 Ordnance Survey map. The smock mill had gone by 1839. The post and tower mills were offered for sale by auction on 21 November 1839 at the Fox Inn, Garboldisham. The mills were not sold and were offered for sale or to let in February 1840. The smock mill may have burnt down on 22 August 1840. A fire was reported at a tower mill in Garboldisham on that date. Mary Button owned the mill in 1842, with John Button as the miller. William Button was the miller in 1854. The tower mill had been demolished by 1864 when the mill was offered for sale by auction at the King's Head, Diss. William Alfred Lawrence was the tenant miller at this time. He continued at the mill until he caught frostbite while tending the sails. This led to his death on 25 December 1871. His widow Emma was left to run the business. She engaged John Nunn from Dickleburgh to run the mill and farm.

On 3 August 1879, the mill lost two sails in a gale. The mill was repaired, with the width of the driving side of the sails increased from 4 feet 6 inches (1.37 m) to 6 feet (1.83 m). These were capable of driving both pairs of millstones at once. The mill was extended at the tail to allow space to fit a flour-dressing machine. A steam engine was also installed. This drove a single pair of millstones in an outhouse. John Nunn married Mrs Lawrence's daughter in 1892 and left the mill to run Grange Farm, Garboldisham. Mrs Lawrence's son Frederick ran the mill until he got married and moved away. He was replaced by John Tuck. In 1902, Mrs Lawrence retired and the mill was taken by Christopher George Pattinson, who was then employed as a miller at East Harling windmill. In 1906, a sail was blown off and its opposite member was removed to restore balance. The mill worked on a single pair of sails until 1914 when William Bennett, who had been engaged as miller, died. Pattinson's lease expired in 1917 and the mill was closed down.