Weybourne Windmill
Encyclopedia
Weybourne Windmill is located on the eastern high ground above the village of Weybourne in the English
county of Norfolk. It is on the northern side of the A149
coastal road that links King’s Lynn to Great Yarmouth
. The Windmill is 3 miles west of Sheringham
and is within the Norfolk Coast AONB
. The mill is a grade II listed building.
ceased production in 1916 and fell into disrepair. In 1925 some restoration work of sorts took place but as a result most of the machinery was removed except for the windshaft. By 1929 the windmill had passed into the hands of Sydney Broklesby and the mill had no sails, fantail or gallery.
or Austrian". Apparently nothing was done (which seems odd, given the war time conditions and its closeness to Weybourne Camp), but seemingly it bothered the Policeman and he went back out a couple of nights later and saw the light again. The story goes that Mrs Dodds left her bicycle unattended outside the tennis court one day, and the bicycle fell over. William Read picked the bicycle up and then the bag, which had fallen out of the basket. He took a look inside and found a radio transmitter! He told the policeman and a day or two later the authorities arrived and took the lady and her husband away. Mrs Dodds was not seen again but Mr Dodds came back some weeks later, cleared out all their possessions from the Windmill and then he also vanished. Their daughter was in the Red Cross during the war years and their son fought for Britain against the Germans. He was badly wounded and was being brought home by ship when it received a direct hit from the Germans.
. In 1969 the skeleton sails seen to this day were installed by Thompson & Son. There was no brakewheel and so sails were fixed accordingly to face to the East. In 1970, a grant
was given by the Norfolk Windmills Trust
to restore the paintwork of the windmill and in 1973 a further grant was given by the Trust for further renovation and maintenance work. In 1982 the windmill was once again up for sale and was sold for £125,000.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Norfolk. It is on the northern side of the A149
A149 road
The A149 is a major route in Norfolk, linking Kings Lynn to Great Yarmouth. It runs via the coast rather than on a more direct route such as the A47. The eastern section runs through The Broads.-Kings Lynn to Wells next the Sea:...
coastal road that links King’s Lynn to Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
. The Windmill is 3 miles west of Sheringham
Sheringham
Sheringham is a seaside town in Norfolk, England, west of Cromer.The motto of the town, granted in 1953 to the Sheringham Urban District Council, is Mare Ditat Pinusque Decorat, Latin for "The sea enriches and the pine adorns"....
and is within the Norfolk Coast AONB
Norfolk Coast AONB
The Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covers over 450 km2 of coastal and agricultural land from the The Wash in the west through coastal marshes and cliffs to the sand dunes at Winterton in the east....
. The mill is a grade II listed building.
Description
The Windmill was built in 1850 and consists of five storey’s built from red brick. When it was in operation the sails, which are now fixed in an easterly direction, powered three pairs of overdriven millstones. The millstones were located on the second floor. The mill had four double shuttered sails. The cap is boat shaped and has an eight bladed fan. It once also had a stage around its girth at the second floor which has long been removed.History
The windmillWindmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
ceased production in 1916 and fell into disrepair. In 1925 some restoration work of sorts took place but as a result most of the machinery was removed except for the windshaft. By 1929 the windmill had passed into the hands of Sydney Broklesby and the mill had no sails, fantail or gallery.
The strange tale of the German spy ring at Weybourne windmill
Rumours surrounded the residence of the Windmill, Mr and Mrs Dodds that during the Second World War that they were spying for the Germans.A local policeman and a boy called William Read were walking down the lane from the old coastguard cottages towards the mill at night when they both saw a light flashing from the top of the mill out towards the sea. Suspicions rose in the village about the man and his strange wife who lived at the mill. Mr. Dodds wife apparently had a strong foreign accent which locals described as "like GermanGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
or Austrian". Apparently nothing was done (which seems odd, given the war time conditions and its closeness to Weybourne Camp), but seemingly it bothered the Policeman and he went back out a couple of nights later and saw the light again. The story goes that Mrs Dodds left her bicycle unattended outside the tennis court one day, and the bicycle fell over. William Read picked the bicycle up and then the bag, which had fallen out of the basket. He took a look inside and found a radio transmitter! He told the policeman and a day or two later the authorities arrived and took the lady and her husband away. Mrs Dodds was not seen again but Mr Dodds came back some weeks later, cleared out all their possessions from the Windmill and then he also vanished. Their daughter was in the Red Cross during the war years and their son fought for Britain against the Germans. He was badly wounded and was being brought home by ship when it received a direct hit from the Germans.
1967 0nwards
In 1967 the windmill was purchased by A Mr Body and in 1968 a new cap made and installed by William Bird & Son, Contractors Ltd. of North WalshamNorth Walsham
North Walsham is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England in the North Norfolk district.-Demographics:The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 11,998. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of North...
. In 1969 the skeleton sails seen to this day were installed by Thompson & Son. There was no brakewheel and so sails were fixed accordingly to face to the East. In 1970, a grant
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
was given by the Norfolk Windmills Trust
Norfolk Windmills Trust
The Norfolk Windmills Trust is a charity based in Norfolk, England, which restores and cares for windmills in that county.Mills in its care include those at:*Ashtree Farm Mill*Berney Arms...
to restore the paintwork of the windmill and in 1973 a further grant was given by the Trust for further renovation and maintenance work. In 1982 the windmill was once again up for sale and was sold for £125,000.