Cley - next- sea Norfolk - Windmills on Waymarking.com

THis Windmill features on Calendars, and was used previously as a BBC TV link. the mill was owned by the family of James Blunt the singer,and is now a bed and breakfast Hotel:
To visit Cley Windmill is a unique experience. With fantastic views from bedrooms such as Stone Room, Barley Bin, Millers, Wheat Chamber and the River Room, this is a wonderfully romantic place to stay. Each room has its own character and appeal, very much in keeping with the ambience of this dramatic building.
Cream teas are offered most afternoons and evening drinks are available in the circular sitting room around a roaring fire. Excellent 3-course dinners are then served in the 300-year old beamed dining-room. Breakfast is the time to plan the day ahead on the unspoilt Norfolk coast.
history of mill taken from Norfolk Mills web site

Cley towermill was built c.1819, possibly by William Farthing. The 5 storey mill had a horizontally boarded, octagonal dome shaped cap with a petticoat that was topped with a ball finial. The cap held a gallery and an 8 bladed left handed fan. There were 4 double shuttered sails, the inner pair having 8 bays of 3 shutters and the outer pair having 9 bays of 2 shutters and 1 bay of 3 shutters. A stage was set around the 2nd floor that had two opposite doors. When the mill was built c.1819, the sails were powering 2 pairs of French burr stones, a flour mill and jumper but by 1876 this had been increased to 3 pairs of stones and a smut machine had been added.
The property has two physical dates built in:
1. On the outside of one of the flint buildings, pieces of red tile have been laid into a cement backing above one of the windows and form the number 1713.
2. The entrance hall that was added to the south of the tower when the mill was converted, has a piece of old timber built into the wall about three feet above the ground that has the date 1713 carved into it.
Neither date has any bearing on the date the mill was built and both have only been in situ since around the time the mill was converted to residential use in 1921. Colonel Blount was of the opinion that his grandmother had the dates inscribed as a representation of the earliest date shown on the deeds for the property.
Mill working c.1910
The terrace of cottages in front of the mill were converted from old warehouses between 1906 and 1910 and were named Beau Rivage.
Capital Windmill

To be Sold & Entered upon Immediately
All that capital New erected TOWER WINDMILL with Fan tail, two pair of French Stones, flour mill & jumper, all in the most complete repair & situate at Cley next the Sea in Norfolk, adjoining the Quay. A very extensive business is capable of being carried on here at a comparatively trifling expense, as the flour may be sent out to sea without any land carriage.
For price & further particulars apply to Mr. William Farthing or to Mr. John Farthing at Cley or to Messrs. Withers, Holt.
Norfolk Chronicle - 26th June & 3rd July 1819
When William Farthing died, his widow Dorothy carried on the business and the mill was put up for sale in 1876 when she died. At that time the mill was copyhold of the Manor of Cley and was in the occupation of Stephen Barnabas Burroughs.
Desirable Mercantile Situation for Merchants, Millers etc.To be Sold

A Most desirable ESTATE situate at Cley next the Sea in the county of Norfolk comprising a capital messuage with offices, granaries (capable of containing 400 quarters of corn), three spacious coal-houses, two coal yards, well enclosed stables, straw house & every other requisite outbuilding.
Also a capital TOWER WIND CORN MILL recently erected & situate & standing upon the Quay at Cley next the Sea aforesaid at which there is an ample depth of water for loading & unloading Grain etc. The above Estate from its contiguity to the harbours of Blakeney & Cley is admirably adapted for carrying on an extensive business in the Corn Coal & Flour trades & is well worthy the attention of any person desirable of embarking in any of the above trades.
Apply to Mr. William Farthing, Cley or to Messrs. Withers, Solrs. Holt.

Granary, Coal House etc.
Wind Mill, Yard etc.
Stable & Cart Shed


During the first half of the nineteenth century the mill was owned by John Farthing and let to John Lee, a merchant. John Lee, a prominent person, not only rented the mill from Mr. Farthing but also a granary, coal house, stable & cart shed, while from George Legge he rented two malthouses, a coal house and a house.
Windmills of England - R. J. Brown - 1976


George Legge owned Mill Hill where the old postmill had been sited.


To Millers
WANTED, a strong active man to Work a TOWER WINDMILL; a character from last Situation required.

Apply to Mr. L. Randall, Cley or at Norfolk News Office on Saturday November 8th by one o’clock.

Norfolk News - 8th November 1862

Situations Vacant
TO MILLERS
Wanted, a respectable honest man to WORK a WINDMILL. One who is willing to make himself generally useful.
Apply to S. B. Burroughes, Miller, Cley next the Sea, Dereham.
Norfolk News - 25th September 1875
William Leggatt is instructed to Sell by Auction at the George & Dragon Inn, Cley next the Sea, on Friday 17 march 1876 at 5 for 6 o’c

All the following valuable ESTATE, late the property of Mrs. Farthing, deceased.
Excellent TOWER WINDMILL

Substantially built Family RESIDENCE

Small Dwelling House

Three Cottages & Extensive Coal WAREHOUSES & GRANARIES, situate near the Quay at Cley next the Sea.

Further particulars in future papers & of Sydney Cozens-Hardy, Solr., Surrey Street, Norwich or the Auctioneer, Holt.

Norfolk Chronicle - 23rd February 1876

Notice re
Dorothy Farthing, deceased, late of Cley next the Sea, Widow.

Norfolk Chronicle - 26th February 1876

Cley next the Sea
William Leggatt will Sell by Auction at the George & Dragon Inn, Cley next the Sea, on Friday March 17, 1876 at Five for Six o’c the undermentioned ESTATE, late the property of Mrs. Farthing, deceased in five Lots.

Lot 1. All that excellent TOWER WINDMILL with patent sails, driving three pairs of stones, with flour mill, jumper, smut machine etc. together with the granary adjoining, two coal warehouses, cart lodge, gig house & two stables, with hay loft over, now in the occupation of Mr. S.B. Burroughes. An extensive business has been carried on for years on these premises which are well situated on the Quay.

Lots. 2, 3, 4 & 5 …

Possession of all the Lots may be had on Old Michaelmas day next. All the above property is Copyhold of the Manor of Cley next the Sea. Fins arbitrary.

The property may be seen on application to Mr. F. Stangroom, Grocer, Cley next the Sea.

Particulars of Mr. Sydney Cozens-Hardy, Solr., Surrey Street, Norwich & Fakenham & of the Auctioneer, Holt.

Norfolk Chronicle - 4th & 11th March 1876
Preliminary Announcement
Cley next the Sea, Norfolk
William Leggatt is instructed to sell by Auction at the George & Dragon Inn, Cley next the Sea, on Monday July 5, 1886 at 4 for 5 o’c Valuable FREEHOLD PROPERTIES situate in the High Street & on the Quay, Cley next the Sea & comprising BRICK TOWER WINDMILL, Counting house with Granary over, Coal stores, Stables, Cart Lodges & DWELLING HOUSE in the occupation of Mr. S.B. Burroughes.

Commodious FARM RESIDENCE lately occupied by John Turner, Esq., deceased, with walled-in Garden, Warehouses & necessary Offices, large Warehouse & Granaries at present unoccupied & double Cottage, Outhouses & Yard in the occupation of Harmer & Bishop as yearly tenants.

Apply to the auctioneer or George Wilkinson, Esq. Holt, or Chittock & Woods, 17 Bank Plain, Norwich, Vendors’ Solicitors.

Norfolk Chronicle & Lynn Advertiser- 12th June 1886


Cley next the Sea, Norfolk

Mr. William Leggatt is instructed to offer for Sale by Public Auction at the George & Dragon Inn, Cley next the Sea on Monday July 5, 1886 at 4 for 5 o’c in the afternoon, the following

VALUABLE FREEHOLD PROPERTIES situate at Cley next the sea, in the county of Norfolk, either in One Lot or the following Lots.

Lot 1. A most substantially built BRICK TOWER

WINDMILL

With Five Floors & Patent Sails, driving Three Pairs of French Burr Stones & Machinery of the best description.

COUNTING HOUSE, Granary, … COAL STORES etc., also small DWELLING HOUSE … with frontage to the Quay, now in the occupation of Mr. S.B. Burroughes as yearly tenant at the very low annual rent of £50.

An Extensive Business has been carried on for many years upon the above Premises.

Particulars of the Auctioneer, Holt, George Wilkinson, Esq., Solr. Holt & of
Chittock & Woods,
17 Bank Plain, Norwich,

Vendors Solicitors.

Norfolk Chronicle & Lynn Advertiser- 26th June & 3rd July 1886


In 1892 Stephen Barnabas Burroughs also had a baking business in Langham and a coal & corn merchant business in Holt. In 1912, Kelly's directory only lists the Burroughs Brothers as bakers in Cley and Stephen Barnabas Burroughs as agent to Lt. Col. T. F. A. Watson Kennedy J.P. & farmer. However, Sydney Stephen Burroughes was also running a large business from Holt towermill.

When Sarah Maria Wilson bought the mill in 1921 she converted it to a holiday home. The machinery was removed and the sails and cap were fixed. The granary and outhouses were converted into stables and a boathouse.
The brake wheel and crown wheel were cut in half and used as door arches.
Three pairs of right handed 4ft French burr stones were built into the terrace to the north of the mill and another was set in the ground near the gate to the northwest of the property.
A pair of left handed 3ft. Niedermendig, Blue, or Cologne (Cullen or Cullin) stones were also set into the terrace and a nother similar stone was set as a doorstep to a flint outbuilding on the east side of the mill. These stones would have been brought in from the Rhineland in the 1700s. In November 1976, Harry Apling commented that the stones could very well have come from some earlier nearby Post Mill having anticlockwise sails, but driving the stones off head & tail wheels direct, without a great spur wheel.


Many parts of the mill machinery can be turned to account in fitting up the interior as a dwelling. At Cley Mill, Norfolk, the arches of the doors are made from the brake-wheels & crown-wheels cut in half. These arches look very effective, with their quaint mortice teeth, which have a similarity to the dog-tooth carving in ancient buildings.
Old Watermills & Windmills - R. R. Hopkins - 1930

During the second world war Col. Hubert Blount's aunt, Sister Rachael, lived at the mill and along with fellow nun Sister Catherine, worked within the local community. The Duchess of Bedford often visited the nuns at the mill until she was lost at sea whilst flying her own aircraft.
The windmill at Cley … on the North Norfolk coast has been selected by Norfolk County Planning Committee for the first of a number of windmill restorations it is hoped to make … it has already received a considerable amount of attention from the owner, but urgently needs new sails & other repairs. The cost was put at £1300.

Eastern Evening News - 29th March 1960


... at some time during the war or possibly in the 1953 floods, my greandmother's records, which she kept in the mill, were lost. She (Mrs. Sarah Maria Wilson) bought Cley Mill in 1921 from Burroughes Flour Mills for £350 & converted it into a dwelling house as a holiday home for our family. The late Mr. Cecil Upcher was architect. It came to me at my grandmother's death in 1934.
Lt. Colonel Hubert Blount, Hammer Hill, Cley - 23rd November 1976
1951

At the time of the great sea flood of 1953, Colonel Blount found the mill standing in 8 to 9 feet of water and the occupants marooned within. The front door had floated off and he dived in to come up at the top of the staircase on the first floor.
SAVILLS COUNTRY HOUSES
NEAR BLAKENEY Offers in excess of £100,000
One of the most famous landmarks on the North Norfolk coast with grounds of approximately
½ acre
8/10 Upper King Street, Norwich, Norfolk.
Eastern Daily Press - 29th May 1982
January 1983 - Mill had not sold and remained in the Blount family



New owner of Cley Mill:-
Charles Blount, Peach House, Gangbridge Lane, St. Mary Bourne, Andover, Hants.
Considering Sale. Friends of Norfolk Windmills Newsletter - April 1981



CLEY MILL - a familiar North Norfolk landmark - is to be turned into a guesthouse.
Permission for change of use and listed building consent for alterations necessary, was given at a meeting on site yesterday by North Norfolk District Council development committee.
The application was by Mr. C. Blount and as well as turning the mill into a guesthouse he will be turning adjacent outbuildings into three self catering units.
... grade two listed building ...
The application was approved unanimously.
Eastern Daily Press - 22nd April 1983

Eastern Daily Press advert
4th August 1983

Cley next the Sea
New fantail frame and fantail made by John Lawn erected by crane yesterday.
Eastern Daily Press - 6th August 1987


CLEY WINDMILL
Estimated cost of new sails, gallery & fantail £45,000.
Grants totalling £19,000 from English Heritage & County Council.
S.P.A.B. Mill News Newsletter - 28th July 1986

5th June 2004

Colonel Charles & Jane Blount turned the mill into a guesthouse in 1983 and continued to run it until 2005 when it was taken over by their nephew John Woodhouse and his wife Val. In May 2006 they advertised the mill for sale. Charles Jane Blount's son James, after leaving the armed forces, became known as the singer and songwriter, James Blunt.
c.1819: Mill built, possibly by William Farthing
June 1819: Mill advertised for sale
July 1820: Mill advertised for sale
Bryant's map 1826: Windmill
White's 1836: John Lee, corn & coal merchant, miller & maltster
1840-1919: Steven Barnabas Burroughs and Burroughs family
Tithe Award 1841: Owner John Farthing; Occupier John Lee
White's 1845: John Lee, corn & coal merchant, miller & maltster
1846: John Lee, miller
1850: William Edward Powell, miller & merchant
1853: Lawrence Randall, miller

Date of Manufacture: 01/01/1819 Purpose: Milling Open to the public: no Is This Windmill Functional?: No Windmill Farm: no Cost: Not Listed Museum on Site: Not Listed

Visit Instructions:
When logging a VISIT to a windmill that has been Waymarked, please take a a photograph of the Windmill and provide a summary of your visit. In this way we can track changes to the mills over the years

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   07/29/2018 The_Senior_Crabbes visited it 11/30/2010 greysman visited it

View all visits/logs