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Drainage machinery retained
The mill retained machinery including a cast-iron brake wheel, windshaft, wallower, timber upright shaft, crown wheel and worm gear.
Site overview
Neave's Drainage Mill stands on the south side of the River Ant near Ludham Bridge. It is a brick tower drainage mill built around 1870 and is also known as Kettle's Mill. The four-storey tapering tower has a boat-shaped cap with protective aluminium cladding and retains important internal machinery, including a cast-iron brake wheel, windshaft, wallower, timber upright shaft, crown wheel, worm gear and shot curb with rack.
The mill was built to drain Ludham marshes and remains one of the surviving Broadland tower windpumps. It is cared for as part of the Norfolk County Council mill sites and can be seen from the footpath on the north side of the river, although it is not usually open to the public.
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
Neave's Drainage Mill, also known as Kettle's Mill, stands on the south side of the River Ant near Ludham Bridge. It was built around 1870 as a brick tower drainage mill. The four-storey tapering brick tower has segmental-headed openings and a boat-shaped cap with a weatherboarded skirt, now protected by aluminium cladding.
Cast-iron sheer extensions hold the fanstage. Internally the mill retains a cast-iron brake wheel and windshaft, with wallower, timber upright shaft, crown wheel, worm and worm hangers, and a shot curb with rack. This machinery shows the working arrangement of a drainage windpump rather than a corn mill.
The mill formed part of the drainage system for Ludham marshes beside the River Ant. It now survives as one of the protected and cared-for Broads drainage mills. Norfolk County Council identifies it as one of its mill sites, visible from a riverside footpath on the north side of the River Ant near Ludham Bridge, but not normally open to the public.
Timeline
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County mill site recorded
The windpump survives as one of the Norfolk County Council mill sites near Ludham Bridge.
1870
Neave's Mill built
The brick tower drainage mill was built around 1870 on the south side of the River Ant near Ludham Bridge.
Sources and records
Norfolk Mills: Horning Neave's drainage windmill
Norfolk County Council: Neave's Drainage Mill
British Listed Buildings entry for Neave's drainage mill
Norfolk drainage windmill listing references
Norfolk County Council: Neave's Drainage Mill
British Listed Buildings entry for Neave's drainage mill
Norfolk drainage windmill listing references