Suffolk's Heritage of Mills
At one time nearly every Suffolk parish possessed a windmill and their turning sails were a familiar part of the rural scene. In the early 19th. century over 500 were at work, mostly used for corn grinding, but from then on their numbers declined, slowly at first but rapidly after 1900, in the face of competition from large steam powered flour mills and smaller farm mills. Today just 37 are left and of these only half retain their machinery. Suffolk was known for its post mills and these have suffered particularly badly, only 7 remaining from a total of over 300 at one time, the oldest being at Drinkstone which is dated 1689. (Right)

Suffolk watermills were much scarcer than the windmills due to lack of suitable rivers, only about 100 standing during the 19th. century, but because they were larger than many of the windmills a higher proportion has survived. Most watermills are very attractive, with their characteristic white weatherboarding and lucam (overhanging gabled hoist). They are often the centrepiece of a whole group of riverside buildings, nearly always including a fine mill house. Over 50 watermills remain, of which about a third are complete with their machinery.

In recent years some mills have been preserved and a few returned to working order. For these few the future is secure but sadly others are not maintained and their condition slowly deteriorates. The weather is still one the windmill's greatest enemies, the great storm in 1987 destroying the mill at Syleham and severely damaging others.