Mill Road (formerly Mill Street)
NGR. TG 04391150

THE RED BRICK tower mill in Mill Road, Mattishall was built for Matthew Yull in 1857/58. It replaced an earlier post mill shown on Faden's Map of 1797 and advertised for sale in 1787:-

Norfolk Chronicle, 15 September 1787
To be SOLD by AUCT1ON
By J. CHRISTMAS
On Friday September 21, 1787 between the Hours of Two and Five in the Afternoon, at the Eagle in East Dereham.
A Compleat WINDMILL with a Pair of excellent French Stones and Flour Mill, now in full Trade, standing in Mattishall near the Turnpike Road from Norwich to Dereham.
Dereham is the best Corn Market in the County.
For further Particulars enquire of Michael Dexter in Mattishall, who will shew the Premises.

It was again for sale in 1813. From 1815 the post mill was owned by members of the Toffts family, James, John and Mrs. Mary Toffts, till Richard Sendall bought it in 1840. He kept it till 1855, when he sold it to Matthew Yull, a local farmer. In the meantime it had had a succession of tenant millers, Christmas Fulcher, William Neve, Archibald Brasnett, Levi Reynolds and John Sendall. By July 1856 whilst in the occupation of John Sendall it had been demolished for some reason or other.
When the new tower mill had been built Matthew Yull worked it in his own name as from April 1858. However, he seems to have got into difficulties in 1860, when the property was advertised for sale by his Mortgagees, though the sale was cancelled the following week:-

Norfolk Chronicle, 19 May 1860
MATTISHALL, Norfolk
Freehold Land and newly erected Tower Windmill, Cottage, Granaries and Buildings. To be Sold by Auction
(By the direction of the Mortgagees thereof under a power of Sale)
By J. BUTRIFANT at the King's Head Inn, East Dereham on Friday Ist June 1860 at 4 o'clock
All that piece of Freehold Land containing la. Ir. 25p. abutting-on the road leading from the Mattishall Turnpike to North Tuddenham with the five floor Tower Windmill, excellent Granary, 2-stall Stable, Hay house and Cart shed which have recently been erected thereon in the most substantial manner. The Mill is fitted up in the most complete manner with two pairs of French Stones 4 ft. 4 ins. and 4 ft., new machinery for wind and steam and is now in full work.
Also ... cottage ...
The Mill and Land are in the occupation of Mr. Matthew Yull and the Cottage of George Wright. Apply to Mr. Dye, Solicitor, St. Andrew's Broad-street or the Auctioneer, 22 Bethel-street, Norwich.

The mill was then let to William Murrell, 1860/61 and to John Muskett from 1862 till 1870, when he was made Bankrupt and his stock in trade sold up:-

Norfolk News, 10 December 1870
In Bankruptcy MATTISHALL
Mr. W. K. FRANCIS is favoured with instructions from the Trustee of the Estate of Mr. John Muskett, Miller, Bankrupt, to Sell by Auction on Thursday 15 December 1870 all the valuable STOCK IN TRADE consisting of an excellent 8 horse power portable steam engine by Garrett & Sons, 36 coombs of wheat, 11 coombs of barley, a quantity of flour, malt and hops, . .. van, three miller's carts ... and HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE and other effects. Catalogues at the place of sale or of the Auctioneer, Commercial Road, Dereham. Sale to commence at 10 o'clock prompt ...

M. Farmen was running the mill in 1872, George Farman 1875-1879 and in 1883

Mill Street (formerly Town Lane)
NGR. TGO5431085

MATTISHALL'S other brick tower mill was built in 1862 for Edward Sendall, to replace his smock mill on the same property, perhaps in order to compete successfully with Matthew Yull's new tower mill in Mill Road.
The smock mill, shown on Bryant's Map of 1826 in what was then known as Town Lane, had been in the ownership of the Lemmon (Leamon) family since 1826 at least. John Lemmon himself worked it till 1841, when it was let for two years to William Butters, who had been tenant at George Vassar's smock mill on the Norwich Road for the last two years or so. John Leamon then regained possession till he died in 1848 and his widow, Martha, carried on with their son, Thomas, till she made a Deed of Assignment for the benefit of her creditors. Her property was put up for sale by auction in August 1857:-

Norfolk Chronicle, 1 August 1857
MALMSHALL & WELBORNE, Norfolk
Capital newly built Dwelling House and mill together with 8 acres of rich arable land
To be Sold by Auction by Mr. RAMSDALE, at the Swan Inn, Mattishall on Monday 3rd August 1857 at 5 o'clock
In three lots
Lot 1.
All that newly erected and substantially built Brick and Tiled MESSUAGE situate in Town Lane in Mattishall aforesaid with the Yards, Gardens, Stables, Hay-house, Cart Lodge and Store-house adjoining; and all that substantially built SMOCK TOWER WINDMILL driving two pairs of stones, with the flour mill, sifter and all requisite machinery in excellent condition, situate adjoining or near the said dwelling house, comprising altogether, with the site of the Buildings One Rood, more or less. Freehold.

Mattishall, Mill Street Mill
This mill was built in 1862, replacing a smock mill. The inner stock appears to be flexing, which is a sign of weakness.

Lot 2.
Arable land ... Mattishall ... 2a. more or less. Freehold
Lot 3.
Arable land ... Welborne ... 6a. more or less. Copyhold Manor of Welborne.
Apply to Mr. Drake, Solicitor, to Messrs. Cooper & Sons or to the Auctioneer, East Dereham.

The mill was not sold then, but was again advertised for sale, this time by private contract, in October 1857, when it was bought by Edward Sendall, who had been working it. By April 1861 it was no longer working.
The new tower mill was operational by October 1862 with Thomas Sendall as tenant miller to Edward. He had @a partner George Reeve in 1876, when the mill was offered for sale by auction by the Mortgagees:-

Norfolk Chronicle, 9 September 1876
MATTISHALL, Norfolk
Situate 5 Miles from the rising market town of East Dereham
To be Sold By
Mr. HORACE M. WILKIN, by order of the Mortgagees with power of Sale, at the King's Arms Hotel, East Dereham at 3 for 4 o'clock on Friday, 29 September, 1876.
All that Freehold MESSUAGE or TENEMENT with the Stable, Hayhouse, Cart lodge, Storehouse and other Outhouses, Yards, Garden and Land to the same belonging and adjoining, situate in Mattishall and also all that Freehold BRICK TOWER WINDMILL standing on the said land, with the going gear, Machinery, Sack tackling, Mill Stones, Flour Mills, Sails and appurtenances thereto belonging, as the same premises, containing together one rood (more or less) and are bounded by Land belonging to - Dobbs towards the North and South, by Land belonging to John Lodge towards the East and by the public road leading from Mattishall to Welborne towards the West, and now in the occupation of Mr. George Reeve and Mr. Thomas Sendall.
Two thirds of the purchase money (if required) can remain on mortgage. Apply to the Auctioneer or
Messrs. Archer & Archer,
Solicitors, King's Lynn.

No sale seems to have resulted as the mill was advertised several times by the Mortgagees till 1889. In 1883/84 David John Reeve was miller, followed by Edward Sparks, 1886, 1. W. Rix 1888 and J. C. Millett in 1889. William Lant Duffield, who had been employed at Mulbarton Common smock mill took the mill in 1893 on a four-year lease, starting in business on his own account. He said the mill was a fine one having six floors and plenty of sail - 30 ft. by 9 ft. each, driving two pairs of stones. He sold all English flour in 5 stone lots at 1 s. per stone. In 1895 he was buying barley for grinding at 10s. per quarter and selling the meal at 6d. per stone (1 quarter = 32 pecks or stones). The mill had been out of use for about two years, but after repairs to the sails and the replacing of one millstone, he got it working again. In 1896 he returned to Tasburgh watermill, where he had been apprenticed and in 1906 hired Saxlingham Thorpe watermill, founding the present firm of W. L. Duffield & Son, Ltd.

He was followed at Mattishall by James Doughty in 1900, William West in 1904 and William Fendick (3), who had come from the Norwich Road tower mill at Dereham in 1908. He had left Mattishall and was at Honingham watermill by 1912. The mill was already derelict in 1916 when the sails were blown off. By 1937 the tower had been cut down and roofed over similar to the Mill Road tower.

As worked:-
4 double-shuttered sails, 9 bays of 3
Boat-shaped cap Petticoat
6-bladed fan
Gallery
Stage at 2nd floor
6 floors
2 pairs of stones
Flour mill
Oat crusher

At present:-
3-storey stump of tower with 6-sided tiled roof, used as store

Other mills in Mattishall:-
TG 04391150. Mill Road (then Mill Street), earlier post mill
TG 04851100. (Faden's Map 1797) post mill?
TG 05431085. Mill Street (then Town Lane), smock mill
TG 05431085. Mill Street, tower mill
TG 06301115. Norwich Road, smock mill