NHER 15706 (Monument record) - Narborough Bone Mill, Narborough

Narborough Bone Mill
A mill constructed around the 1830s that was used to grind up whalebones from a blubber house in King's Lynn. The mill went out of use in the late 19th century. The waterwheel, foundations, and millstones remain. The mill has been restored and is now open to the public.
Information from HER Record Card (S1) and Narborough Bone Mill website (S2).
A. Henderson (HES), 06 August 2025.

1979. Photographic Survey.
Site of Bone Mill. Ground up whale bones from blubber house at Blubber House Creek, Kings Lynn. Mill stood on north bank of River Nar although it was known as Pentney Mill. Still shown on 6 inch map of 1904.
Photographs King's Lynn Museum.
R. Trett (KLM), 1979. Amended A. Henderson (HES), 06 August 2025.

July 1980. Field Observation.
Site inaccessible when visited owing to lack of bridges.
However informant stated that when dry weather allows access, there is visible a 'huge iron wheel' (waterwheel?), many large millstones, two iron bars projecting into the river from a block of concrete, and three underground sluices, two blocked.
Information from HER Record Card (S1).
E. Rose (NAU), 30 July 1980.

September 1981. Record Enhancement.
Slide (S3) of water wheel at King's Lynn Museum.
Detailed report by Norfolk Indsutrial Archaeology Society (S4); first constructed in about 1830.
The millstones mentioned are Derbyshire Peak.
Information from HER Record Card (S1).
E. Rose (NAU), 16 September 1981.

June 1988. Additional Information.
Newspaper cutting (S5) in file.
27 June 1988. Amended A. Henderson (HES), 06 August 2025.

July 1995. Field Observation.
Site seen from Nar Valley Path across river 9 July 1995.
Waterwheel remains remarkably complete. The two iron bars mentioned above are girders projecting over the stream, and sawn off.
The stream flows through a brick pound at this point.
Information from HER Recording Form (S6).
E. Rose (NLA), 10 July 1995.

March 1999. Field Observation.
Remains have been cleared of undergrowth. Seen in passing from other side of river by E. Rose.
Information from HER Recording Form (S6).
E. Rose (NLA), 25 March 1999.

2015. Restoration.
A fund to restore the mill was granted by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The mill and wheel was restored and the site is now open to the public on open days.
Information from Narborough Bone Mill website (S2) and newspaper articles (S7-9).
A. Henderson (HES), 06 August 2025.

February 2015. Geophysical Survey.
Geophysical survey undertaken by Britannia Archaeology Ltd on 09 February 2015.
A. Henderson (HES), 06 August 2025.