NHER 64057 (Monument record) - Site of North or Kettle Mills Tower

Recorded as Turris Aquilonis, possibly the same as the Black Tower shown on (S1) as a windmill, but not on maps of 1830 or 1845 unless it is what is marked as 'water tower'. (S2) of 1797 shows a 'water engine' here. Old prints show an extension to the wall tower that may have housed a beam engine, but in the background there is a structure like a water tower with a smoking chimney. E. James (KLM) believes this is the water tower of 1829, later converted to generate electricity, demolished in 1972.
E. Rose (NAU).

According to (S3) this plot of land was known as Lazar Hill as in 1270 it was granted to the Corporation of Lynn by Sir Richard de Sulegrave, the Master of the Order of St Lazarus of Jerusalem at Burton Lazars. Harrod accounts for the name of the site based on an agreement of a lease of the premises dated 3 August 1463 to John Topley who agreed 'to keep the mill for fresh water for five years', finding the said mill with the kettles and other necessaries within the house and tower there. In 1682 the common dyke was recast and a windmill erected to raise the water in tubs or barrels from the river to a reservoir, a wooden tank in a round tower of the town wall (NHER 5486). This windmill is also visible on (S4).
During the 18th century the supply was raised thirty or forty feet using horse power, the wind or force derived from an artificial waterfall which worked a water engine. This was later replaced by a steam engine, but this soon failed and the system once again became reliant upon the water engine. As the water was only 'on' for an hour or two a day, it was stored in sunk pits or 'pools' but these were infilled towards the end of the 19th century as they were considered dangerous to health. The water was conveyed to the town by gravitation through water mains consisting of tree trunks bored from end to end and joined together.
In 1829 a new water tower 16.5m (54 feet) high was erected with a large cast iron cistern at the top into which the water was pumped using a steam engine. At the same time cast iron mains were laid down at a cost of £10000.
Maps of this area show a series of sluices, weirs and long and short ponds which formed part of the waterworks. The two ponds are still present and water-filled (2020).
The Kettle Mills ceased to provide a water supply for King's Lynn in the late 1890s, when, after repeated complaints about contamination, a new waterworks was constructed at Grimston to supply the town.
The Kettle Mills became the power station supplying King's Lynn with electricity in 1898. This was demolished in the 1970s.
See (S3) for further details.
(S5) suggests that the tower on this site may once have been known as The Black Tower, and may have formed a pair with The White Tower (NHER 64058).
A. Cattermole (King's Lynn UAD), 28 February 2020.

March 2024, Trial Trenching.
Evaluation of proposed development site at Kettlewell House.
The four trenches excavated uncovered remains that were exclusively associated with the post-medieval water storage and distribution works that had previously occupied the site. The brick walls and other structures revealed correspond with a number of structures shown on the Ordnance Survey 1:500 Town Plan map of 1886 (S6), including a building at TF 6232 2051, an octagonal probable water tower at TF 6228 2053 and filter beds at TF 6235 2054. The westernmost trench encountered the southern edge of the 'Short Pond' reservoir (NHER 64055).
Although one of these trenches was positioned to coincide with the line of a demolished section of the town defences (NHER 5486) no associated remains were uncovered (despite this trench being dug to a depth of 1.8m). It should though be noted that this trench had to be significantly shortened due to the presence of modern services and had not necessarily straddled the line of the defences as originally intended. A post-medieval wall encountered at this location was probably the western wall of the building shown on (S6), although a sample brick from this structure was identified as being of probable early post-medieval date.
Information from draft report. Final version awaited.
An archive associated with this work has been deposited with Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2024.88).
P. Watkins (HES), 4 February 2024.