One of its claims to fame is that it was run for much of the 20th century by Ivy Hawkins, claimed to be England's last lady miller.
Today, after a ten-year restoration project, the mill is working again and producing organic flour that is sold at the mill and in local shops and markets, and is used by local restaurants.
Adjacent to the mill are two deep fords which can be crossed by car with care, allowing a road connection between the A5 and A6 near Harpenden. The fords are occasionally used as part of the route on local road rallies because of their tricky nature; following the wrong line can drop you into much deeper water without warning.
The majority of mills in Norfolk are either breastshot or undershot, mainly because the Norfolk terrain is no more than undulating and does not provide the high head of water required by an overshot wheel.
Milling rights were jealously guarded, and villagers would have been allowed to grind corn only at their landlord's mill.
The best milling wheat would later come from America where, because of the climate, the grain was harder and produced a stronger flour (containing a higher proportion of gluten).
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