This is the site of the old Whalebone mill, built in about 1830. The mill ground up whale bones from the Blubber house in King's Lynn. The large iron waterwheel, and reportedly some of the millstones (Derbyshire Peak) still remain.
The Old Whalebone Mill stood on north bank of River Nar although it was known as Pentney Mill.
The site can be inaccessible if visited during the winter months due to lack of bridges.
When dry weather allows access, there is visible a huge iron wheel, many large millstones, two iron bars projecting into the river from a block of concrete, and three underground sluices, two blocked.
In the early days of the Narborough Bone Mill a steady supply of whalebone came up river by barge from the blubber processing factory at Lynn. The sacks of bone meal were shipped back to Lynn, Cambridge and further afield. No whaling ships left Lynn after 1821, so the mill had to rely partly on collections made by 'bone wagon' from local farms and slaughterhouses.
A lottery grant was optained and this allowed for restoration work to be carried out in 2015.
Monument Types:
Fish processing site (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD) Watermill (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Bill Foster
Interesting place, wheel restored, small visitor centre built with WC. Only open on specific days, check their website before visiting.
Graham B
Nice place with history...worth a visit on Norfolk museum open day
Steve Gibbons
Not much of the whalebone mill left but plenty of history and a good walking area.
Richard Burbridge
Really interesting site along the river Nar. Just reading the boards set up makes you realise what an important site this is.
Charliefox1907
Standing and watching history. Hats off to the people that restored the wheel, and look after the site. Awesome effort
Matt Bainbridge
Nice little area to watch birds and get away from everything.
Matt Harwood169 days ago
Lovely easy walk around Narborough, passing by fields of flowers, and a woodland that’s home to lots of different species of butterflies and birds. The Mill is interesting, with an information board explains it’s interesting history. The circular walk is approximately 6 miles.
The Old Whalebone Mill stood on north bank of River Nar although it was known as Pentney Mill.
The site can be inaccessible if visited during the winter months due to lack of bridges.
When dry weather allows access, there is visible a huge iron wheel, many large millstones, two iron bars projecting into the river from a block of concrete, and three underground sluices, two blocked.
In the early days of the Narborough Bone Mill a steady supply of whalebone came up river by barge from the blubber processing factory at Lynn. The sacks of bone meal were shipped back to Lynn, Cambridge and further afield. No whaling ships left Lynn after 1821, so the mill had to rely partly on collections made by 'bone wagon' from local farms and slaughterhouses.
A lottery grant was optained and this allowed for restoration work to be carried out in 2015.
Monument Types:
Fish processing site (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
Watermill (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
The Mill is interesting, with an information board explains it’s interesting history.
The circular walk is approximately 6 miles.