—
Listed building protection
The surviving mill building immediately north of Mill House was protected as a listed building.
Site overview
Scole Tower Mill is a former tower corn mill at Scole in Norfolk. It was built in 1799 as a four-storey tarred red-brick tower mill. The tower had two opposite doors, indicating that it was originally built with common sails, but by 1864 four double-shuttered patent sails had been fitted.
These powered two pairs of French burr stones, a flour mill and a jumper. The mill worked until 1908 and had been truncated by 1926. The surviving mill building, immediately north of Mill House, is listed and remains a recognisable tower-mill survival.
Map
Map markers and directions links are provided for location reference only and do not indicate public access or permission to enter a site.
No site photograph is currently available. Images will be added as field visits are carried out.
History
Scole Tower Mill was built in 1799 as a four-storey tower corn mill. The tower was built of tarred red brick and had two doors on opposite sides, a safety arrangement showing that the mill was originally built with common sails that swept close to the ground.
By 1864 the mill had been modernised with four double-shuttered patent sails. These drove two pairs of French burr stones, a flour mill and a jumper. The mill had a Norfolk boat-shaped cap with a six-bladed fan. This machinery made it a fully equipped nineteenth-century corn mill serving the Scole area.
The mill worked until 1908. By 1926 it had been truncated, losing the full upper working form that had carried the cap and sails. The surviving building remained immediately north of Mill House and was later protected as a listed building. Scole Tower Mill now survives as a reduced but important remnant of a once fully equipped Norfolk tower corn mill.
Timeline
1799
Tower mill built
Scole Tower Mill was built as a four-storey tarred red-brick tower corn mill.
1864
Patent sails in use
By 1864 the mill had four double-shuttered patent sails powering two pairs of French burr stones, a flour mill and a jumper.
1908
Working life ended
The mill worked until 1908.
1926
Tower truncated
By 1926 the former tower mill had been truncated.
Sources and records
Norfolk Mills entry: Scole tower windmill
Windmill World entry: Scole windmill
Mills Archive record: Tower mill, Scole
Historic England Archive image: Mill Building Immediately North of Mill House
List of windmills in Norfolk
Windmill World entry: Scole windmill
Mills Archive record: Tower mill, Scole
Historic England Archive image: Mill Building Immediately North of Mill House
List of windmills in Norfolk