joints had led to a pronounced ‘lean’ of the frame towards the rear, evidenced in the remaining timbers and brickwork of the first floor. The new framing was sized to meet current standards and additional posts were introduced where structurally necessary. Windbracing was introduced to provide necessary stability. The staircases were enclosed by fire resisting partitioning and the underside of the floor, the internal wall and roof boarding were treated against surface spread of flame.

The total time available from fire to completion of rebuilding was limited to 14 months. In order to achieve this programme much of the detailed design work proceeded alongside the building work. The main contract was let to T. Gill & Sons of Norwich and work commenced in August 1991. Work had been programmed to start in July, but had to be delayed when it was discovered that the local Council was about to resurface the road providing access to the Mill. Several further delays were experienced during the building contract; for example, the 19th century timber framed rear wall had inadequate foundations necessitating piling for the new wall.

The ground floor structure was repaired and strengthened. Water damage during the fire proved to be largely superficial. Replanning of this floor allowed the two remaining pieces of 19th century machinery to be featured in the restaurant. These are the water turbine and the Hurst frame which previously supported several pairs of mill stones.

The timber frame is constructed entirely of North American pitch pine, salvaged from demolished 19th century buildings in other parts of Britain. The largest beams, 360 x 425 mm and 11

long, proved difficult to find and were eventually brought from Scotland and North Wales. The sequence of erection dictated the design of the joints used, these had to be accurately cut in the temporary workshop on site as the size of timbers used prevented any trial assembly on the ground. The posts and beams were craned into position, any necessary adjustments being made during the assembly process. The skill of the carpenters was vital to the successful erection of the timber frame and compensated for lack of experience in this type of construction on the scale involved — this is probably the biggest timber framed watermill constructed in Norfolk this century.

The frame was completed in late October 1991. The roof was completed by mid-December using second hand clay pantiles. It was necessary to

Above: The mill being rebuilt. Below: The mill rebuilt with timber cladding

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