Pictures of ten of the prettiest mills in Norfolk

Berney Arms windmill on the Norfolk Broads rising from the mist on a cold December's morning. Photo: Chris Herring. (Image: Unspecified)

Norfolk is home to many windmills and watermills which have served important roles within the county for many years, including grinding corn and drainage on the Norfolk Broads.

Thurne Mill. Picture: James Bass (Image: Archant Norfolk © 2014)

We've picked ten of the prettiest to picture here. They are: Cley Windmill, Thurne Mill, Berney Arms Windmill, Weybourne Windmill, Dereham Windmill, Sutton Windmill, Denver Windmill, Bircham Windmill, Mutton's Mill, How Hill Windmill.

The Windmill at Weybourne. Photo: J Allan Black (Image: (c) copyright citizenside.com)

Three types of windmill are commonly found in England, the Tower mill, which consists of a brick or stone tower on which sits a wooden 'cap', the Smock mill which consists of a sloping, horizontally weatherboarded or thatched tower and the Post mill, the earliest type of windmill known in this country that is supported by a post which pivots. All three of these different types can be seen in Norfolk.

Flowers grown by Les Secker beside Dereham Windmill. Photo: Graham Corney (Image: EDP.DFT)

At one point there were more than 100 windmills in Norfolk, although a vast majority of smaller ones have now disappeared. Many of the remaining mills have since fallen into private hands, but some are still open to the public.

Sutton Windmill. PHOTO: ANTONY KELLY (Image: © ARCHANT NORFOLK 2012)

The Norfolk Windmills Trust currently cares for 21 buildings across Norfolk, 13 of which are owned or leased by Norfolk County Council.

Denver Windmill. Picture: Ian Burt

These 21 buildings include, Ashtree Farm Drainage Mill, Bilingford Cornmill, Thurn Dyke Drainage Mill, Wicklewood Cornmill and Mill House and Old buckenham Cornmill.

Bircham Windmill in the sun. Picture: Matthew Usher. (Image: © Archant Norfolk 2014)

Several of these mills will be holding open days and events this weekend such as Polkey's Mill which will be working (weather permitting) and offering tours between 12pm and 4pm on Saturday and Wicklewood which will be open on Sunday afternoon between 1pm and 4pm.

Mutton's Mill, Halvergate Marshes. Photo: Peter Jarvis (Image: (c) copyright citizenside.com)

The theme for the 2014 and 2015 National Mills Weekends was Mills in Art, however for 2016 the Mills Section have settled upon a brand new theme, which will be vintage power.

Sunset over How Hill Windmill. Photo: Picasa (Image: (c) copyright citizenside.com)

• For more information on mills that will be open to the public this weekend visit nationalmillsweekend.co.uk