NHER 10489 (Building record) - Berney Arms High Mill

Drainage and cement grinding.

7 May 1984. Visit.
A mill marked by (S1) on this site was grinding cement by 1821 and was of five storeys. By 1838 it was operating a saw mill and drainage pump as well. The present mill was built after 1860, probably in 1865 for cement and was converted to drainage in 1883 (information from H. Apling). Up to eighty nine wherries would collect here overnight, tired out with quanting up from Yarmouth.
Department of Environment guide dates present mill to pre 1870 from graffitti in cap. It was built by Stolworthy's of Yarmouth and with seven floors was the highest mill in east Norfolk marshes or broads. The cement works closed in 1880. An electric pump is now beside the mill.
E. Rose (NAU), 7 May 1984.

Now fully restored and operational; scoop wheel is in boarded cover to one side. Stones for grinding cement preserved inside. Boat cap restored. Maps displayed mark cement works as mainly to south of mill; no trace on ground, but foundation of buildings visible to north. However note brick works 0.4km (1/4 mile) southwest. Wooden horizontal curved members occur in walls amongst brick courses at regular intervals. Mill has Cubitts sails and last worked in 1948.

April 1996. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of exploratory excavations undertaken prior to construction of new river wall. Six excavations close to mill itself, four more trenches in field to north.
Negative.
See report (S2) for further details.
T. Ashwin (NAU), 4 May 1996.

November 1997. Site visit with Broadland Flood Alleviation Strategy engineer [1] to look at disused sluice.
This is to be partially dismantled during bank reinforcement, then reinstated.
See location plan and sketch elevation (S3) in file; also slides.
D.Gurney (NLA), 21 November 1997.

Ancient Monument Schedule (S4) and press cuttings (S5), (S6), (S7), (S8) and (S9) in file.

The 1883 conversion to drainage alone was by Barnes of Yarmouth. (S10).
E. Rose (NLA), 8 November 2004.

Press cutting (S5) in file.
P. Aldridge (NLA), 12 November 2007.

Mill is noted in White's Directory in 1845. (S11)
Mill is marked on 6ins O.S. map in 1883 as "Berney Arms Works (disused)". (S12)
NIAS records (S13)
W. Arnold (HES), 08 December 2010.