Mileham | |
---|---|
![]() The village sign, Mileham, Norfolk | |
Location within Norfolk | |
Area | 11.66 km2 (4.50 sq mi) |
Population | 563 (2011 census) [1] |
• Density | 48/km2 (120/sq mi) |
OS grid reference | TF910190 |
• London | 129 miles (208 km) |
Civil parish |
|
District | |
Shire county | |
Region | |
Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | KING'S LYNN |
Postcode district | PE32 |
Dialling code | 01328 |
Police | Norfolk |
Fire | Norfolk |
Ambulance | East of England |
Mileham is a village approximately midway between East Dereham and Fakenham in Mid Norfolk with a population of 563 people in 2011. The village sits astride the B1145 [2] Kings Lynn to Mundesley road that dissects Mid Norfolk west to east. It is the old coaching road from Kings Lynn to Norwich and then on to Great Yarmouth.
The name Mileham comes from the presence of a mill; the base of the last one can still be seen from the Litcham Road. (There is a possibility that it may be linked to a Saxon water mill.) There is also a "Mill Farm" to the west of the village. Mileham is a linear settlement in 'High Norfolk', and is also a 'Conservation Village', centred on Burwood Hall, The Church, The Castle, Park Farm, Old Hall Farm and Manor Farm.
There are ruins of a Norman castle (now a nature reserve) near to the site of the Roman Camp and a church, St John the Baptist, with some rare stained glass windows.
The north tower, which functions as a portal was given by the church's patron Lord Fitzalan. The churchyard is typical of the country parish church, showing gravestones surrounding the building. A medieval tomb in the churchyard retains the remnants of a cross. The west window showing St. Catherine (wheel), St. John the Baptist (lamb) and St. Margaret (spearing dragon) is a rare extant example of stained glass of the decorated style. The window was also added by Lord Fitzalan. Colours of green, gold, olive, amber, as well as red and blue distinguish the complex canopies and figures. In the lower half of the window fragments of 15th-century glass include images of an unidentified female saint and St. Margaret. [3]
The site of the original Saxon village is in the field to the east of the church where the remains of Saxon ponds can be seen.
Mileham Castle (also referred to as " Hall Yards" on old maps) is one of the largest motte and bailey castles in Norfolk. It straddles the pre-Conquest road that remained the main east-west route through the county until the 17th century. The castle was constructed in about 1100.[ citation needed ]and its remains form a surprisingly imposing monument consisting of a motte built up around the fragments of a stone keep, two baileys and a further banked rectangular enclosure to the north of the road, which now contains Burwood Hall (built in 1793) and farm buildings. A large wooded deer park was once attached to the south of the castle. The positioning of the castle astride the road is thought to have been connected with raising revenue from a possible market place in the northern enclosure and from tolls on travellers.
Mileham Tower Windmill, was first recorded in 1860,it was built at the end of a long track to the southwest of the village. The four-storey tarred red brick tower had 21-inch-thick (530 mm) walls, was 38 feet (12 m) high and had a 24-foot-diameter (7.3 m) base. The mill used four double-shuttered sails, each with seven bays of three shutters to power four pairs of stones. The upright shaft was a 'graft' shaft of both wood and iron. Two opposite doors were set into the base of the tower on the east and west sides, and another door was on the south side of the meal floor. According to Geraldine Neale, writing in 1948, a sail broke off the mill in a gale in 1904 and a similar occurrence put the mill out of commission for all time. However, it is not clear whether this was the actual case as in May 1973, G. Rye reported to Philip Unwin that the mill ceased working in 1924 and was dismantled soon after. A photograph of 1934 showed the mill with three broken sails and the fanstage still in situ. [4]
Mileham Post Windmill, first recorded in 1775, stood on Mileham or Beeston Common and was actually nearer to Litcham than Mileham. The mill buck stood over a roundhouse and used 2 pairs of French burr stones, a flour mill and a jumper. A horse mill and bake office were also run on the site.
A sketchmap by Geraldine Neale c.1948, showed the postmill to the north of the western end of the east to west track and the towermill at the north end of the south to north track. Geraldine Neale died in 1970 and was the daughter of John Wilkin who was miller at the time the towermill was dismantled in 1902. Her article The Miller's Daughter was published in the Eastern Daily Press on 21 August 1948. [5]
The Mileham Dish dates from 4th century AD from a period of time when Britain was under Roman rule. The square silver dish was found in 1839. Though it is tempting to assume that it was part of a hoard of silver, there is no record of it being found with any other objects. It is now held by the British Museum. [6]
Edward Coke (pronounced Cook) was born at Mileham Hall (now demolished), on 1 February 1552. He became Speaker of The House of Commons in 1593 and Attorney General in 1596. He died on 3 September 1634.
Sir Harold Button of Umphington (Shropshire) is a current resident (2020). He invented the Well Drain. He is also an ornithologist capable of identifying over 400 birds based on their calls alone.
The village has a post office/general store, and a village hall. Also it had a primary school founded in 1677,but it was closed in 2015. The Royal Oak public house stood in the village centre up until 1983, but has since been converted into a private residence. The Castle public house closed in 1920 and is now Castle Cottages, and the Unicorn Inn closed in 1963 and is also a private residence. The location of The Three Horse Shoes is unknown. [7] Nearby is the source (hence High Norfolk) of the rivers Nar and Wensum. The Nar Valley Way footpath passes through the village. The remains of the medieval village of Grenstein were discovered in the 1960s under agricultural land north of Back Lane. [8]
The River Ant is a tributary river of the River Bure in the county of Norfolk, England. It is 27 kilometres (17 mi) long, and has an overall drop of 27 metres from source to mouth. It is said that the Ant was formerly known as the River Smale and that this is the origin of the name of the village of Smallburgh.
West Kingsdown is a village and civil parish in the Sevenoaks district of Kent, England, on the A20 5 miles (8 km) southeast of Swanley, 5.5 miles (9 km) northeast of Sevenoaks and 22.5 miles (36.2 km) from London.
Ashby St Mary, historically Ascebei, is a small village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The civil parish has an area of 2.03 square kilometres (0.78 sq mi) and in the 2001 census had a population of 297 in 115 households, the population increasing to 316 in 120 households at the 2011 Census. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of South Norfolk.
Barton Bendish is a civil parish and small ancient village in the English county of Norfolk located 10 miles (16 km) south of King's Lynn and 90 miles (140 km) North East of London. It has two medieval parish churches, and once had three. The parish includes the old hamlet of Eastmoor, and covers 3,936 acres (1,593 ha). The village has been settled since Neolithic times and was expanded during the Saxon period. Today the village has a population of 210 as recorded at the 2010 census and contains eight listed buildings, with the two medieval parishes churches being Grade I.
Burgh St Peter is a village and civil parish in the South Norfolk district of Norfolk, England. The village is about 3+1⁄2 miles (6 km) northeast of Beccles in Suffolk. The village is about 50 feet (15 m) above sea level, sharing the same slight hill with Wheatacre about 1⁄2 mile (800 m) to the northwest.
Litcham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated some 10 km (6.2 mi) north-east of the town of Swaffham and 40 km (25 mi) west of the city of Norwich. The village is located on the B1145 a route which runs between King's Lynn and Mundesley.
Pakenham is a village and civil parish in the West Suffolk district of Suffolk in eastern England. Its name can be linked to Anglo-Saxon roots, Pacca being the founder of a settlement on the hill surrounding Pakenham church. The village describes itself as the "Village of Two Mills", as it has a water mill which claims to be the only working example in the county. The Pakenham windmill no longer works.
Roughton is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is 3.7 miles (6.0 km) south of Cromer, 19.6 miles (31.5 km) north of Norwich, and 6.5 miles (10.5 km) north-west of North Walsham. It straddles the A140 between Cromer and Norwich and the B1463.
Burgh le Marsh is a town and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England.
Claxton is a small village 8.5 miles (13.7 km) south-east of Norwich, and south of the River Yare, between Rockland St. Mary and Loddon in South Norfolk, England. In the 2001 census it contained 85 households and a population of 244, the population increasing to 291 at the 2011 census. Just to the south lie the small villages of Ashby St Mary and Carleton St Peter.
North Leigh is a village and civil parish about 3 miles (5 km) northeast of Witney in Oxfordshire. The parish includes the hamlet of East End and since 1932 has also included the hamlet of Wilcote. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 1,929.
Foxley is a village and civil parish in Norfolk, England. The village is 6 miles (10 km) north-east of Dereham and 15 miles (24 km) north-west of Norwich, along the A1067 between Fakenham and Norwich.
Old Buckenham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, approximately 29 km (18 mi) south-west of Norwich.
East Runton Windmill is a grade II listed tower mill at East Runton, Norfolk, England which has been converted to residential accommodation.
Blakeney Tower Windmill, built in 1769, is located on Friar Farm just to the east of the village of Blakeney in the English county of Norfolk. The mill, which today is owned by the National Trust, stands in a static caravan site. The building has been evaluated due to its historic interest as a Grade II listed building.
Thurning is a small dispersed village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk and district of North Norfolk, near the border with Broadland. The population at the 2011 Census remained less than 100 and is recorded together with the neighbouring civil parish of Hindolveston.
For the Gayton Windmill now in Merseyside see Gayton Windmill, Cheshire
The Vale of Glamorgan has 740 listed buildings of which 4% are Grade I listed, 10% Grade II* listed and remainder Grade II listed.
Hickling Mill is a 19th-century grade II* listed windmill in Hickling Heath, Norfolk, England.