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Scheduled monument in care
The isolated mill survives as a scheduled monument in the care of English Heritage.
Site overview
Berney Arms Windmill stands on Berney Marshes beside the River Yare, in the parish of Reedham. The seven-storey red-brick tower was built in 1865 by Stolworthy of Great Yarmouth to replace an earlier tower mill on the same site. More than 70 feet high, it became Norfolk's tallest drainage mill.
It was originally built to grind cement material and remained in use until 1948, after which it was used for drainage pumping. The mill is an isolated scheduled monument under the care of English Heritage. It is accessible by foot, boat or from Berney Arms railway station, but it is currently closed for essential maintenance pending restoration to full working order.
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
Berney Arms Windmill, also known as Berney Arms High Mill, stands on Berney Marshes beside the River Yare near the south-western end of Breydon Water. Although the wider area is associated with Burgh Castle and Great Yarmouth, the mill is recorded in the parish of Reedham. The present seven-storey red-brick tower was built in 1865 by the Great Yarmouth millwrights Stolworthy to replace an earlier tower mill on the same site.
At more than 70 feet high it became Norfolk's tallest drainage mill. The mill was named after the Berney family. It was built to grind a constituent of cement and worked in that role until 1948.
It was then used for pumping water to drain the surrounding marshland. The isolated location means the mill has no road access; it is reached by boat, by foot along long-distance paths, or from Berney Arms railway station. The building is a scheduled monument and is cared for by English Heritage.
It is currently closed to visitors for essential maintenance while a major restoration project is planned to return the mill to full working order.
Timeline
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Closed for maintenance
The mill is closed to visitors for essential maintenance pending a major restoration project.
1865
Berney Arms Windmill built
The seven-storey red-brick tower mill was built by Stolworthy of Great Yarmouth to replace an earlier tower mill on the same site.
1948
Cement-material grinding ended
The mill remained in use grinding a constituent of cement until 1948.
1948
Drainage pumping followed
After cement-material grinding ended, the mill was subsequently used to pump water for marsh drainage.
Sources and records
Norfolk Mills: Reedham Berney Arms drainage mill
English Heritage: Berney Arms Windmill
Wikipedia article: Berney Arms Windmill
List of drainage windmills in Norfolk
Norfolk drainage windmill listing references
English Heritage: Berney Arms Windmill
Wikipedia article: Berney Arms Windmill
List of drainage windmills in Norfolk
Norfolk drainage windmill listing references