Mill Lane Mill

Mill Lane Mill was built in 1856, replacing a post mill which had been standing in 1811. The mill was built for Richard Dewing of Carbrooke Hall. Dewing died on 22 November 1876 and the estate was managed by Edward May Dewing. A steam engine had been installed as auxiliary power by 1888, driving a separate pair of millstones. The mill was offered for sale by auction on 30 July 1900 at the Mart, London EC. It was bought by Herbert Jeremiah Minns, who was the sitting tenant. The mill was part freehold and part copyhold. A pair of sails from Little Cressingham were fitted in 1920. Minns died on 16 August 1921 and the mill passed to his son Herbert Willie Minns. In 1932, the sails were removed…

Mill Lane Mill is a five storey tower mill. The tower is 17 ft internal diameter at ground level with walls 2 ft thick. The last sails carried were an odd pair. Those on the inner stock had eight bays of three shutters while those on the outer stock had nine bays of three shutters. The latter sails had previously been on Little Cressingham Mill. The windshaft was cast by W H Wigg & Co, millwrights of East Dereham, and dates to 1879/80. The brake wheel drove a cast iron wallower which was cast by G R Cowen & Co, Nottingham and dates to 1871 at the earliest. Other machinery in the mill is said to have been made in Belgium. It was made to metric measurements. The 8 ft diameter great spur wheel…