Norfolk

Places: The Mills

Gt Snoring Mill

Great Snoring and Little Snoring had windmills.

Little Snoring open trestle postmill was often also known as Great Snoring mill. Great Snoring had a post windmill in the 1600s that was probably working in 1620.

The CONVEYANCE (incomplete)
By Richard Flemyng
"of messuages, lands etc. one watermill and one windmill, partitioned between the said Richard and his brother John under the will of their father, Richard Flemyng, tanner."
Dated 1620 (Norfolk Record Office).

Great Snoring Mill

Although just in the parish of Little Snoring the mill was often known as Great Snoring mill and stood just to the south of that village.

The mill was was described as newly erected in 1808 and was an open trestle mill, not having a roundhouse. At that time the sails powered a single pair of French burr stones and a flour mill.

Curiously, for a mill not having a roundhouse, remains of the mill were still visible in 1981, although the whole site was fast becoming overgrown with vegetation. The collapsed trestle and main post were still visible along with 4 red brick piers about 30" high, capped with a stone slab.

gs postmillGreat Snoring Windmill circa 1910

History

The mill was once owned by Adam Kerrison who died in 1835 leaving everything including the mill to his daughter Ann Kerrison, who was married to Charles Southgate of Great Snoring - His will is stored in the Norfolk Archives and a snippet leaving the mill to Charles and his wife can be seen below. Adam's wife Catherine Burrel died of consumption in October 1812 and unfortunately by then all the children apart from Anna had died.

Anna their firstborn was born in 1792, Mary was born and died in 1794. Adam and Catherine had another Mary in 1796 and she died in 1819 before Adam's will took effect. Another son, Adam, was born in 1798 and died the next year. (All of these baptised in Gt Snoring's church.)

adam kerrison willCharles Southgate was my direct ancestor. He is my three-times Great Grandfather. (His son Charles Kerrison Southgate had William who was my Great-Grandfather born in 1843.)

Diversion on Family Matters

The mill was passed down in the Southgate family, with William Southgate (the son of Charles and Anna nee Kerrison and the brother of Charles Kerrison-Southgate mentioned above) being the Miller in 1851. But Charles Southgate Junior was Millwright shortly afterwards so perhaps they shared the work. (In the 1863 town directory, both Charles and William are millwrights BUT William is also tending the shop as a grocer. His wife Matilda continued to do this after his death in 1872.)

The tangled mess of a family tree with Southgates, Tucks and other Snoring families is explored elsewhere. But it should be pointed out that William SOUTHGATE and his wife Matilda TUCK (sister to my Great-Grandmother) cemented their hold over the mill with family ties in more than one way - through the Docking family.

The inheritance of the mill passed to the DOCKING side of the family, via the marriage of Mary Ann Southgate the daughter of Charles Southgate and his wife Anna Kerrison (who had been given the mill in their father's will above), to Clement Docking

And in 1873 Elizabeth TUCK married Clement DOCKING in St. Mary's parish church, Gt. Snoring. He was the 22-year old son of the Clement Docking who had married Mary Ann Southgate. The Docking family continued the work of milling and baking in Great Snoring for many years.

Elizabeth Tuck was aged 18; her father is Issac Tuck, a blacksmith and related to Matilda. The witnesses at the wedding were Issac Tuck (Elizabeth's brother), Georgina Tuck (her sister), and Matilda Southgate. Matilda therefore has hammered down her family's claim to the mill since she is related to the new wife of Clement.

Matilda Tuck was born a half-past six at night on June 20th, the same day as my birthday.

Last Days

Clement Docking, the husband of Elizabeth Tuck was still alive in 1901, and at age 50 still the Miller of Great Snoring. but ten years later in 1911 he and Elizabeth are staying with his son (George Clement) in Rotherhide, London. Clement and his wife have been married 36 years and have six living children. And his son George has married a Londoner and moved away from the village.

His son Charles Docking has taken over the Mill and is living, a single man, with the Hunter family in The Street, Gt. Snoring. But this arrangement doesn't seem to have worked out, as from 1912-1922 William Docking is listed as the Miller.

However, the mill was falling into disrepair. By the 1920's it was breaking up and it continued to do so until 1949 when it was finally demolished.

Sales Adverts Etc.

19 Oct 1804 APPRENTICESHIP PAYMENTS
Charles Southgate Age: 36
Residence: Great Snoring, Norfolk.
Register of duties paid for Apprentices: Charles Southgate, paid by Adam Kerrison. The Miller's Apprentice here was the Charles Southgate who later became his son in law. Charles (son of Robert & Susannah) married Ann Kerrison. Was there already a mill at this time?

POST MILL FOR SALE 1826
To Millers: To be Sold by Auction by Samuel Tuttle At the Lion Inn, Fakenham, Norfolk on Thursday 13 April 1826 at 5 o'c A Desirable ESTATE at Great Snoring in Norfolk, in two Lots
Lot 1. A POST WIND MILL near the town with a dwelling house adjoining the mill, granaries, stable, shed and other conveniences all in excellent repair and copyhold, fine certain. Also a quarter of an acre of freehold land adjoining the above and abutting on the public road, well adapted for building purposes.
Lot 2. A Cottage and Garden in the town of Great Snoring in the occupation of ... Bullock, Copyhold fine certain. The outgoings are extremely low. Apply personally or by letters (postage paid) to the Auctioneer at Fakenham or to Mr. Peter Day, Solr. Upper Market, Norwich. Norfolk Chronicle - 1st & 8th April 1826

The mention of a Mr BULLOCK in the Cottage & Garden is intriguing. The tenant could be one of the Kerrison relatives because there were two Bullocks who married into the Kerrison family. William Bullock in 1796 married Elizabeth Kerrison. After the Mill sale, another William Bullock married Sarah Ann Starling in March 1831 (in Holt, Norfolk) and perhaps this was an earlier marriage of the Sarah Starling who married Robert Kerrison six years later.

Elizabeth's father-in-law William Bullock Senior who was also a Miller, and his sons were Millers.

Property Sale 1833
Location: Great Snoring, Norfolk
Description
To Millers and Millwrights To be Sold CHEAP A Secondhand Set of Patent Sails Apply personally (or by letter post paid) To Mr. Kerrison, Great Snoring, near Fakenham. Norfolk Chronicle - 18th May 1833

Gt Snoring post mill

Gt Snoring Postmill Circa 1931

Property For Sale 1873
Norfolk Chronicle & Norfolk News
26th July & 2nd August 1873.

Later:

  • 1924: Mill still almost complete
  • 1926: Fantail and the roof gone 
  • 1930: Mill buck blew over
  • 28th January 1935: William Docking died aged 82 and was buried in Gt Snoring churchyard 
  • Karl Wood painting of 1937: Mill post and substructure still standing 
  • 1949: Mill demolished
  • 1971: Broken down mill substructure remaining
  • 16th November 1979: E. Rose identified the centre post and stone supports lying on the site in a wood
  • 1992. The only remains are a very large tree-covered mound, with three blocks of masonry and two beams

For more information and illustrations, please visit this page: Little Snoring Postmill

Little Snoring Mill

Little Snoring's post windmill was to be found near Jex's Farm on the northeast side of Little Snoring. It had a roundhouse and used two patent sails for grinding and powering a flour machine.

Newspaper advertisements of the time show its history.

1821

To be Sold
A Strong Built Post WINDMILL with round house and flour machine in complete repair, to be removed off the premises. Enquire of Mr. Thomas Jex, Little Snoring.

Norfolk Chronicle - 2nd & 9th June 1821

1837

To be SOLD or LET
A capital POST WINDMILL with Roundhouse and going Gears complete in good repair and well situated for trade at Little Snoring aforesaid. Apply personally or by letter post paid to Mr. William Shepheard of Edgefield or to Mr. John Overton, Solr. Fakenham. 16 October 1837.

Norfolk Chronicle - 21st October 1837

1879

To be Sold by Auction by W. B. Lane on Wednesday October 15, 1879
All the LIVE and DEAD FARMING STOCK, also all the HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE and other Effects of the late Mr. Robert Sheringham...Also a capital POST WINDMILL standing in the parish of Little Snoring, with 2 patent sails and necessary machinery required for working the same and capable of doing a good trade, which will be sold subject to such conditions as will be produced at the time of sale. Sale to commence with the Household Furniture at 11 o'c.
Lynn Advertiser - 4th October 1879

Family Connections

As often is the case with families in Little or Great Snoring, my own family tree seems to be well represented, especially as some of these people also had control of the Great Snoring trade. You will note below that Mrs Matilda ADAMS is connected to the mill in 1900 and onwards. This is the very same Matilda nee TUCK who first married William SOUTHGATE of Gt. Snoring, and then remarried to Edward Barrett Adams after his death.

James HALL of Little Snoring is also a family connection, but this one takes far too long to explain! I will perhaps cover the curious details of that tangled affair on another page.

  • 1821: Thomas Jex, miller & farmer
  • 1821: Mill advertised for sale to be removed from the premises
  • 1836: Thomas Barnes, corn miller [White's Directory]
  • 1837: Mill advertised for sale or let
  • 1841 Census: William Shepherd, Miller
  • 1845: William Shepherd, corn miller [White's Directory]
  • 1851 Census: William Sherpherd, Miller
  • 1853: William Shepherd, miller
  • 1854: Robert Sheringham, farmer & gamekeeper [White's Directory]
  • 1854: Robert Stimpson, farmer, Jex Farm [White's Directory]
  • 1856: Robert Sheringham, miller & farmer
  • 1864: Robert Sheringham, miller & farmer [White's Directory]
  • 1868: Robert Sheringham, miller & farmer
  • 1872: John Tuck, miller & farmer
  • 1878: Robert Sheringham, miller & farmer
  • 1879 (12 Feb) Robert Sheringham, miller & farmer, died aged 66
  • 1879 (October) Mill advertised for sale by auction along with effects of Robert Sheringham
  • 1879: Edward Adams, shopkeeper [Kelly's Directory]
  • 1879: Edward Sheringham, farmer [Kelly's Directory]
  • 1879  (October) Advertised for sale
  • 1883: Edward Barratt Adams, miller, h. Great Snoring [White's Directory]
  • 1883: Mill ceased working
  • 1890: Mrs Matilda Adams, grocer & miller [White's Directory]
  • 1890: James Hall, farmer, Jex farm [White's Directory]
  • 1892: Mrs Matilda Adams, shopkeeper & miller (wind) [Kelly's Directory]
  • 1892: Mark Jarvis, flour dealer
  • 1893 (20th February) Mark Jarvis, flour dealer, died aged 70 (miller at Fakenham towermill 1872-1879)
  • 1896: Mrs Matilda Adams, grocer (Gt Snoring) [Kelly's Directory]
  • 1896: James Hall, farmer, Jex's farm [Kelly's Directory]
  • 1900: Mrs Matilda Adams, grocer (Gt Snoring) [Kelly's Directory]
  • 1900: James Hall, farmer, Jex's farm [Kelly's Directory]
  • 1904: Mrs Matilda Adams, grocer (Gt Snoring) [Kelly's Directory]
  • 1904 OS map shows Windmill
  • 1908: Mrs Matilda Adams, grocer (Gt Snoring) [Kelly's Directory]
  • 1925  Henry Cook, farmer, Jex farm (over 150 acres) [Kelly's Directory]

Image Gallery

Find your ancestors in Norfolk Parish Registers and Records for Norfolk Ancestors and Genealogy for Norfolk The Family Trees of Norfolk Church Records of Gt & Lt Snoring Norfolk Great Snoring Memorial Inscriptions

Information

The Snoring Villages: a website for those researching their family trees, and for anybody curious about the history and whereabouts of these two small villages in Norfolk, UK.

Contact The Snorings

I no longer live in Norfolk. I cannot visit graves, make local enquiries or provide contacts for you. Please be aware that I have no information other than that on this website..

Address: Derbyshire, England
Telephone: Unavailable
E-mail: tricia (at) the-snorings.co.uk