NHER 4245 (Monument record) - Salter's Lode mill

Smockmill; marked on (S1).
Last worked in 1922.
E. Rose (NAU), 2 February 1982.

Salter's Lode smock mill was originally built as a drainage mill by the Drainage Commissioners but was later converted to a corn mill around 1850, thus space within the mill was very restricted. The mill was situated quite close to the confluence of Well Creek and the Great Ouse. The mill had a boat shaped cap and used one pair of single shuttered patent sails and one pair of common sails to drive 3 pairs of stones. The four storey, eight sided mill had tarred vertical weatherboarding and was set on a single storey octagonal brick base with sloping sides. The mill had no fantail and a tailpole with steps on each side was used to turn the mill into the wind. The wooden rim of the brakewheel was held on with staples. The mill ceased working in 1924 and was derelict by 1926. The sails were removed around 1930 and the mill was again recorded as being derelict in 1949. The mill has since been demolished.
Information from (S2).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 18 September 2008.

May 2007. Trial Trenching. Contexts 1-28 used.
An evaluation comprising three trial trenches was carried out in order to see whether any remains of the smock mill could be located. Several shallow features were recorded including a pit containing a large number of fragments of post medieval pottery and two undated linear features containing animal bone. Two thick layers of clay were recorded, and may be evidence of the post-medieval practice of puddling, whereby strong gault or clay was inserted into the banks of fenland drains to strengthen them. The majority of the pottery dated from the post-medieval period, although two sherds of late medieval pottery were also identified. A few pieces of post-medieval brick and roof tile were recorded, and a single medieval brick was also noted.
See report (S3) for further information. See also (S4) and (S5).
The associated archive has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2016.84).
Previously recorded in error as NHER 50257.
A. Cattermole (NLA), 18 September 2008. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 20 June 2019.