Report - Norfolks Wind Pumps 2..January/Febuary 2024

[Mikeymutt🐶]

After covering some of the disused wind drainage pumps a few years ago, I decided it was time to do some more. There was once 200 of these pumps dotted on the Norfolk broads. Many still remain, some in a derelict state, some with partial work to slow the rot, like new caps on top, and new windows, others are fully renovated into accommodation or heritage centres. One person has turned one into an art studio and gallery. The broads is an extensive network of dykes and waterways. These can be prone to flooding due to the tidal warterways and how boggy the land sits. The drainage pumps would drain the water from the dykes that had flowed off the land. This in turn would be pushed into the rivers to keep the land dry. This was important as the land is extensively used for agriculture, with a lot of livestock on the meadows. The drainage mills, even though they are an early form of pumps are still called mills pretty much use the same system. I am not totally sure of the whole set up. I am almost certain the cap could be moved to catch the wind in whatever direction it was going. The sails would turn a series of cogs up top, which in turn twisted a a vertical shaft, made of thick wood. This the turned a a cog down bellow which turned a large iron pit wheel. This wheel would turn an iron shaft which was connected to a scoop wheel with paddles on. As time went by different methods were used to power the scoop, electric, steam and diesel being the common ways. Sadly with nee more efficient ways to drain the marshes arrived, the old mills were deemed redundant due to the high costs of maintaining them.

If anyone has visited the broads you will know it’s a flat and bleak place in the winter. To get to these mills it can involve very long walk through very sodden ground with the wind blowing through. But saying that I still love getting on the broads, you are so alone in some places. It’s also a great place for wildlife if you’re a wildlife photographer. So many varieties of birds are on the marshlands. We have quite a few reserves now on the broads that strive to attract new wildlife.

Here is my report from my visit a few years ago.

Norfolk's wind pumps..July-December 2020 | Industrial Sites

I always try to document as much of my home county's fading history when I get spare days at the weekend. I have covered the railways and most of the military stuff here. So thought I would try and document the wind pumps. So I have selected a variety of them to look at. Some were nice and easy...

www.28dayslater.co.uk

WOMACK MILL

Starting off we have this rather bleak run down shell. Sitting lonely in the middle off marshland this old mill is in a very sorry state. But inside we still have the vertical shaft, the iron pit wheel, the drive shaft. And outside the scoop wheel is still complete.
The mill was built in the 1800s and was built about twenty three feet high. The brickwork is 20 inches thick, that is quite some thickness, but I guess it’s got to support a lot off woodwork and metal work. History on this one is very scarce.

Approaching the mill it’s situated on a little island which is fed from several dykes.

The scoop and race still remain.

Going inside the vertical shaft is just hanging in there.

STUBB MILL.

Stubb mill is a very importsnnt mill on the broads and is grade two listed. It was taken on by the Norfolk Wildlife Trust. They have made some attempt to preserve it which is good. No entry into this one sadly but thought I would show it, as it still has the marshmans house intact, albeit boarded up, and outbuildings. A newer pump house sits next to it. Whilst there the pump became operational. I could see the water absolutely gushing out of the pipe from the other side. The mill was constructed in 1808 with a three storey build and wood and canvas sails. Twenty five years later it was heightened and the sails replaced with patent ones. The marsh man lived in the first two floors of the mill, that must have been horrible. A house was then constructed in 1900 for the family to live in. The mill ceased operations in 1947.

This boat ain’t going anywhere soon.

Outlet pipe for the new pump house.

Original toilet set to the side of the house.

The old marshmans house.

Continued…

 

[Mikeymutt🐶]

If it’s one wind pump out of all the ones on the broads it’s this one. This pump is the most photographed one, but it’s one of the most elusive ones. It’s the most photographed one because people walk the bank on the other side of the river and catch it from there. You never see photos hardly from the inside, this is because it’s a long trek to it through very private land, and they really do not like people going to it. So I set off early one morning and took the hike to it. We have had so much rain this winter that the broads had got so badly flooded, no wonder they needed so many drainage pumps. It’s been a dry period recently so the flooding has subsided, but the ground is still sodden, so the walk was a bit horrible. But when I finally got too it, it was definitely worth it and to finally see inside. Ok admittingly it’s a ruined one but some of the machinery still exists inside.
Brograve mill was built in 1771 by sir Berney Brograve. It was built to drain the ditches around the Waxham cut. A near identical one was built further up the river, this one is in a very derelict state. It’s in someone’s garden, so I doubt I will ever have the pleasure of seeing it. The mill had two pairs of patent shuttered sails. The mill suffered from subsidence and was reportedly straightened five times. The mill still leans to this day. The sails powered an internal turbine which drained the levels into the Waxham cut. The mill ceased operation in 1930, a nearby newer electric pump house does the work now.

The front of the mill with the remains of the two sail frames.

It looks like it’s got a metal strap around it. I know old kilns have this for when they heat up. Maybe added for strengthening.

No scoop wheel left here, just some old remains.

Going inside and a big drive wheel survives with a vertical shaft.

Set a few metres away is the newer pump house.

These finials on posts in the water were quite attractive

Whilst inside the mill I heard an enormous racket. So when I looked out I could see loads of birds flying around the field. This was just a few of them.

Then it’s the extremely long walk back.

CLAYRACK MILL.

Finishing off with these final two. These are on a public footpath and some restoration was done on them years back. But they are good examples of some different mills.

This one is hollow post mill, the sails seem to have gone though. I think they have gone away for restoration. There only two left on the broads now and this is the only one with a scoop wheel. This is not its original site, it was originall a few miles away. But it was in such a state it moved over forty years ago. It sits on brick pillars.

BOARDMANS MILL.

This rather beautiful trestle mill was built in the 1800s and the patent sails powered a scoop wheel. This was later replaced with a more efficient turbine.

 

[The Young One]

Bloody lovely photos and some nice gears

 

[tigger]

Great to see some detailed photos of the gearing and wheel shrouds. Thanks for posting.

Looking forward to part three now

 

[JakeV50]

Proper classic report. Nice to see something like this again

 

[Lndnpdd]

Really enjoyed these, well done

On the Brograve mill the metal band is a tensile restraint which stops the brickwork bulging (brickwork is great in compression, terrible in tension). You can see them on the kilns at Gisleham and they perform the same function as the lateral restrainst you see on many old buildings, normally they have a big X or S shape piece of iron on the outside and a rod running through the building to hold it in place. Unfortunately you cannot do that on round buildings such as mills and kilns, hence the steel band.

 

[Mikeymutt🐶]

Bloody lovely photos and some nice gears

Thank you mate.

 

[Mikeymutt🐶]

Great to see some detailed photos of the gearing and wheel shrouds. Thanks for posting.

Looking forward to part three now

I thought I better get some gearing shots in. Hopefully I can muster a big enough list of them to do a third part.

 

[Mikeymutt🐶]

Proper classic report. Nice to see something like this again

Cheers mate. I have been meaning to do more for ages.

 

[Mikeymutt🐶]

Really enjoyed these, well done

On the Brograve mill the metal band is a tensile restraint which stops the brickwork bulging (brickwork is great in compression, terrible in tension). You can see them on the kilns at Gisleham and they perform the same function as the lateral restrainst you see on many old buildings, normally they have a big X or S shape piece of iron on the outside and a rod running through the building to hold it in place. Unfortunately you cannot do that on round buildings such as mills and kilns, hence the steel band.

Thank you. Yeah I know the metal bands were used in the kilns for expansion, especially when they are in use. The ones at Gisleham are real beasts and so nice. I just wondered if they were used for the same principle here with changes in temperature.

 

[urbanchemist]

Another nice collection of wind-powered pumps with quite a lot left.
I'd have liked to see the gear box at the top of the last one, and what is was driving down the bottom (if not under water).
The photos seem to be oddly fuzzy?

 

[Mikeymutt🐶]

Another nice collection of wind-powered pumps with quite a lot left.
I'd have liked to see the gear box at the top of the last one, and what is was driving down the bottom (if not under water).
The photos seem to be oddly fuzzy?

Yeah these were great that they had stuff in. The shaft on that last one went into an almost well like structure what was filled with water and boards covering it.
A few have got a bit fuzzy, mainly because it's so open that the wind blows badly and it was an extremely windy day.

 

[urbanchemist]

Yeah these were great that they had stuff in. The shaft on that last one went into an almost well like structure what was filled with water and boards covering it.
A few have got a bit fuzzy, mainly because it's so open that the wind blows badly and it was an extremely windy day.

Were these phone or camera? Phone is usually better/faster for machinery.

 

[Mikeymutt🐶]

Were these phone or camera? Phone is usually better/faster for machinery.

I used a camera and tripod. All my phones ha e never had good cameras. But just got a pixel and camera is so good. That I am tempted to use it for the stuff you described rather than faffing.

 

[Calamity Jane]

Interesting report. I really like the covering of the gears and wheels in detail. It looks like a windy place, my camera suffers wind blur sometimes. But I guess its the perfect spot for these mills due to that.
Only you could find a toilet on an explore like this