Diss Tower Mill

Site overview

Button's Mill, also known as Jay's Mill or Victoria Road Mill, stands at Diss rather than Pulham Market. It was built around 1817 on Diss Common for Thomas Jay, who had bought the site that year. The mill was originally built with eight sails, but these were blown off in a gale on 28 November 1836.

Henry Rush repaired the tower mill in 1837, after which it worked with four double Patent sails. The six-storey corn mill had a domed cap, fantail, cast-iron windshaft and overdriven French burr stones. Auxiliary steam power had been added by 1880, roller milling equipment was added in 1892, and the steam engine was later replaced by an oil engine.

The mill worked into the 1920s, lost a sail in 1928, and ceased wind operation after fantail damage in 1929. It was later truncated, used with a saw mill, and converted to residential accommodation in 1968.

Map

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History

Button's Mill at Diss was built around 1817 on what was then Diss Common. Thomas Jay purchased the land in that year and built the tower mill while also owning a post mill at Stuston Road. The Diss tower mill was first constructed with eight sails.

On 28 November 1836 its sails were blown off in a gale, four days after Jay's Stuston Road post mill had also been blown down. The tower mill was repaired by the millwright Henry Rush and returned to use in 1837 with four sails rather than eight. The repaired mill was a six-storey corn mill with a domed cap winded by a fantail.

It carried four double Patent sails on a cast-iron windshaft and drove French burr stones overdrift. In 1853 it was recorded with three pairs of stones, two pairs measuring 5 feet and one pair 4 feet in diameter; by 1880 it had four pairs of 4-foot stones. Thomas Jay died on 3 April 1847 and the business was continued by his widow Sarah.

The mill was offered for sale at the King's Head Hotel, Diss, on 5 September 1853, but remained unsold. It was offered again in October 1856 and was purchased by Michael Hawes, who was succeeded by William Hawes. William Hawes retired in 1880, when the mill was sold by auction and bought by John Button.

By that date a steam engine had been installed as auxiliary power. John Button had previously worked various post mills around Diss and had already been in business for 24 years. John and William Edward Button later ran the mill, followed by John B. Button.

Roller milling equipment was added in 1892, and the steam engine was later replaced by an oil engine. A sail was lost in 1928, by which time the mill was being worked by John B. Button. It continued briefly on one pair of sails until 1929, when the fantail was damaged.

The remaining pair of sails, formerly from Mount Pleasant Mill at Framlingham, was sold around 1936 and reused at Terling Mill in Essex. The cap was removed and the tower was truncated by one storey. The building was then used as part of a saw mill before being purchased in 1968 and converted to residential accommodation.

Timeline

1817

Button's Mill built at Diss

The tower mill was built on Diss Common for Thomas Jay after he purchased the site.

1836

Eight sails blown off

The mill's original eight sails were blown off in a gale.

1837

Mill repaired with four sails

Henry Rush repaired the mill, which thereafter worked with four double Patent sails.

1847

Thomas Jay died

After Thomas Jay's death, the mill was run by his widow Sarah Jay.

1856

Mill bought by Michael Hawes

The mill was offered for sale again in 1856 and purchased by Michael Hawes.

1880

John Button bought the mill

The mill was sold by auction after William Hawes retired and was bought by John Button.

1892

Roller milling equipment added

Roller milling equipment was installed at the mill.

1928

Sail lost during late working life

A sail was lost while the mill was being worked by John B. Button.

1929

Wind working ended after fantail damage

The mill worked on a single pair of sails until fantail damage in 1929.

1936

Remaining sails sold for reuse

The remaining pair of sails was sold around 1936 and reused at Terling Mill in Essex.

1968

Converted to residential accommodation

The truncated mill was purchased and converted to residential accommodation.

Diss Tower Mill Diss · Norfolk · England