NHER 12388 (Building record) - Cley Mill

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Summary

A mill is believed to have existed at this location since at least the early 17th century. It has been suggested that the current tower mill dates to the 18th century, although documentary evidence suggests it was erected in the early 19th century. The tower is five storeys tall, built of brick and has a conical cap, four sails and fantail. It also has an outside gallery above the 1st floor.

Protected Status/Designation

Listed Building (II*) 1049823: CLEY MILL

Location

Map sheet	TG04SW
Civil Parish	CLEY NEXT THE SEA, NORTH NORFOLK, NORFOLK

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Full Description

Windmill.

February 1952. Listed, Grade II*.

Built in AD 1773, according to information from member of the public [1].
Information from record card (S1).

Member of the public [2] disagrees with the date above, and says the tower mill was "new erected" in 1819. Converted to house 1921. Last worked about 1908.
Compiled by E. Rose (NAU), 2 February 1982. Information from record card (S1).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 3 July 2023.

April 1983.
Mill to be turned into a guesthouse.
See newspaper article (S2)

April 1984.
Flooring of observatory platform collapsed.
See newpaper articles (S3).

See article on mill (S2) which also says that "stone from an abbey" was used in its conversion to a house earlier this century.
Compiled by E. Rose (NAU), 7 July 1987. Information from record card (S1).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 3 July 2023.

August 1987.
Fantail replaced.
See newspaper articles (S5).
H. White (NLA), 5 February 2009.

Listing grade II* dates to 18th century. Brick tower mill with cap sails and fantail; brake wheel and main shaft 'said' to remains. Five storeys, second-floor balcony, various additions at base and weatherboarded stair turrent to second floor.
Compiled by E. Rose (NAU), 20 October 1987. Information from record card (S1).
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 3 July 2023.

The 'stone from an abbey' mentioned above probably refers to a gargoyle and a fragment of tracery set on the gatepiers at the entrance to the mill. Building under restoration in 1995.
E. Rose (NLA), 19 April 1995.

Original post mill was destroyed in a large, village-wide fire and re-built some time after 1612 (The event of the fire). The tower mill was not built until 1819 which was worked to around 1917. The mill was purchased by a private individual in 1921 and converted to living accommodation.
Information from NIAS records (S6).

Excerpt of Listing Description:
"Windmill, now holiday accommodation, 18th century. Brick tower, white painted wooden cap, sails and fantail. Five storeys, part balcony in white painted wood to 2nd floor; casement openings with glazing bars, to each floor to north-west and south-west, door to second-floor balcony, large french window with glazing bars to ground floor north-west, glazed door to south-west. Attached flint and brick building to south-east ground floor, weather boarded addition under pantiles to first floor, weather boarded stair turret to second floor, south-east. Fixed cap and sails; tower said to contain main shaft and break wheel."
Information from (S7).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S7) for the full, current listing details.
P. Watkins (HES), 3 July 2023.

Associated Sources (23)

--- SNF48774 Aerial Photograph: Edwards, D.A. (NLA). 1996. TG0444/Q - Y, AA,AB.
--- SNF48634 Aerial Photograph: TG 0443/ G, H.
--- SNF48634 Aerial Photograph: TG 0443/ G, H.
--- SNF12571 Aerial Photograph: TG0444 H-J.
--- SNF81163 Article in Serial: 1923. The Mill, Cley-next-the-sea, Norfolk and its conversion my Messrs. Lacy & Upcher. Country Life.
--- SNF6661 Monograph: Labrun, E.A.. 1994. Civil Engineering Heritage, East and Central England.. p 112.
--- SNF58263 Monograph: Pevsner, N. and Wilson, B. 1997. Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 436.
--- SNF58629 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1982. [Photographs of Cley Mill].
--- SNF58633 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1986. [Article on the history of Cley Mill]. 26 February.
--- SNF58640 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1994. Rooms with a view. 5 August.
--- SNF58641 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1995. Mill in scaffolding. 15 February.
--- SNF71441 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2008. Unusual places to stay for a real treat. 14 July.
--- SNF69008 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2014. Iconic windmill can sail towards next 25 years. 6 March.
--- SNF58630 Newspaper Article: Lynn News. 1993. [Photograph of Cley Mill]. 27 August.
--- SNF57204 Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 04 SW 24 [2].
--- SNF8804 Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1> SNF57722 Record Card: NAU Staff. 1974-1988. Norfolk Archaeological Index Primary Record Card.
<S2> SNF71439 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1983. Cley Mill to be guesthouse. 27 April.
<S3> SNF58631 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1984. [Articles on the balcony collapses at Cley Mill].
<S4> SNF6550 Publication: June 1987. Period Home.
<S5> SNF58634 Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1986-1988. [Articles on the restoration work at Cley Mill].
<S6> SNF57617 Archive: NIAS. Norfolk Industrial Archaeology Society Records.
<S7> SNF48662 Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1049823.

Site and Feature Types and Periods (3)

Object Types (1)

ARCHITECTURAL FRAGMENT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Related NHER Records (0)

Find out more...(1)

Cley next the Sea (Parish Summary)

Record last edited

Jul 26 2023 3:43PM