Foulsham Tower Windmill Foulsham · Norfolk · England

Foulsham tower mill was built of red brick in the early 1800s as a corn mill in the centre of Foulsham. It was originally five storeys high and had a stage at the second floor, but by 1836 a sixth storey had been added. Contemporary sale particulars described it as a newly erected and substantially built tower wind corn mill with patent sails, a revolving cap, three pairs of French stones, two flour mills, a machine and jumper, complete going and standing gears on six floors, a two-horse dressing mill and an attached granary. The mill formed part of a larger milling and baking premises that included a dwelling house, baking office, stable yard and outbuildings.

The mill was associated with William Scott in the 1830s. In August 1836 his stock in trade was advertised for auction under execution from the Sheriff, and in November 1836 the mill lease was advertised for sale with a long unexpired term. A newly erected five-horsepower steam engine was offered with the property. In July 1837 the mill was advertised to let, still described with three pairs of French stones, two flour mills and the steam engine. The 1841 tithe material recorded James Saunders as owner and John Burton as occupier.

Through the middle decades of the nineteenth century the mill was repeatedly advertised to let and continued as a combined wind, steam and baking concern. By 1863 advertisements described a tower windmill driving three pairs of stones, with an attached steam mill driving two further pairs of stones and machinery that could be driven by either power. The premises also included granaries, a dwelling house, stabling, a baking office and land. William Mitchell was recorded as miller and baker in the 1860s and early 1870s, with his lease expiring on 11 October 1873.

In the 1880s the property was again advertised for sale or letting. The 1881 and 1883 sale notices described a capital brick tower wind corn mill with six floors, patent sails, three pairs of French burr stones, granaries, storehouse, boiler and engine houses, together with a ten-horsepower high-pressure expansive and condensing steam engine. The steam engine and separate millstones were also advertised for removal. George Bruce, Samuel Goldsmith and Philip Bushell were among the later millers. Philip Bushell was listed as a steam and wind miller in Kelly's directories from 1896 to 1908, and Herbert Henry Bushell was recorded as miller by wind and steam in 1912.

On Friday 21 June 1912 the mill was destroyed by fire. The fire brought the sails down, and the windmill ceased to survive as a working wind-powered structure. Herbert Henry Bushell continued to be listed as a steam miller in 1916, 1922 and 1925, and as an oil miller in later directory entries. Milling by oil engine was reported to have ceased in 1929, although directory listings continued into the 1930s.

The remains were later substantially altered. By 1979 the mill had been reduced by three floors, leaving a twenty-eight-foot tower with a conical roof. The steam mill had been demolished by 1986. By 1990 and 1995 the tower was recorded as part of a private residence, marking its survival as a reduced domestic structure rather than as an operational mill.