Record Details

NHER Number:9773
Type of record:Building
Name:Stoke Holy Cross Watermill

Summary

A mill has been present on this site on the River Tas since the medieval period. The current mill was built in 1747, and rebuilt in 1853 following a serious fire. The mill is constructed of weatherboard with a pantile roof and sits on a brick base. The mill has been used to as a paper mill and flour mill, but saw its most intense period of use as a mustard mill from 1814 to 1862 under the Colman family, and in 1845 a steam engine was installed to supplement water power. The mill was one of the largest in the county, and remained in use until 1952 when the waterwheels and gearing were removed. In 1963 the machinery was sold off, and since then the mill has been in use as a restaurant. The nearby Miller's House dates to 1776, and is of whitewashed brick with a roof of black glazed pantiles.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 2326 0191
Map Sheet:TG20SW
Parish:STOKE HOLY CROSS, SOUTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

Full description

Water mill. Medieval site.
Rebuilt 18th century and become Colman's works.
Windmill added 1825. Millers house with painted ceilings.
See notes in secondary file.
Compiled by E. Rose (NLA), 2 October 1990.

Architects plans (1998) in file (S1).
Also see (S2) and (S3).

See (S4) for the history of J. and J. Colman.
S. Howard (NLA), 13 May 2010.

NIAs records:
Coleman's leased the mill in 1814 and over 52 years they built starch and mustard factories with granaries and a warehouse on the site. They also opened a school above the granary and converted the site from wind to steam power in 1845. After the lease ran out in 1862 they site moved to Carrow works in Norwich.
After the site was emptied, most of Coleman's buildings were sold off or demolished.
The mill continued to work under a succession of millers until the mid 1960s when the machinery was removed. The ground floor is now used for a restaurant.
See (S5)
W. Arnold (HES), 15 Febuary 2011

Monument Types

  • WATERMILL (Medieval - 1066 AD? to 1539 AD?)
  • (Former Type) PAPER MILL (18th Century to 19th Century - 1747 AD to 1814 AD)
  • FACTORY (18th Century to Mid 20th Century - 1747 AD to 1952 AD)
  • WATERMILL (18th Century to 21st Century - 1747 AD to 2100 AD)
  • MILL HOUSE (18th Century to 21st Century - 1776 AD to 2100 AD)
  • (Former Type) STEAM MILL (19th Century - 1845 AD to 1900 AD?)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • Listed Building
  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Aerial Photograph: TG2301 A-C.
---Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
---Website: Norfolk Mills. 2004. Stoke Holy Cross Mill, River Tas. http://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/stoke-holy-cross.html. 9 February 2017.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N and Wilson, W. 1999. Norfolk 2: North-West and South. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 673.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1991. Illuminating portrait of a village. 15 January.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1996. [Articles on the proposed flats at Stoke Holy Cross Watermill].
<S1>Illustration: Various. Various. Architectural plans.
<S2>Article in Serial: Stoker, D. 1976. The Early History of Paper-making in Norfolk. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXXVI Pt III pp 241-252. p 245.
<S3>Article in Serial: Caey Evans, M. 1972. Mrs. Sarah Baxter, nee Buck (1770-?). Norfolk Portrait-painter and Miniaturist. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XXXV Pt III pp 400-409. p 401.
<S4>Unpublished Document: Edgar, S. H.. The history of J. & J. Colman.
<S5>Archive: NIAS. Norfolk Industrial Archaeology Society Records.

Related records

MNO3625Related to: Stoke Mill Mill Road STOKE HOLY CROSS (Revoked)

Find out more...

Norfolk County Council logo Heritage Lottery Fund logo

Powered by HBSMR-web and the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd, and mojoPortal CMS
© 2007 - 2024 Norfolk Historic Environment Service