THE BONE MILL Traditional Cache
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Hidden along the banks of the river Nar. The banks are steep and the water can be deep and fast flowing on occasions so keep children in view at all times. Walk is about 1.3 miles long and can be muddy at times through the fen. . The cache is not on the river side of the footpath. You will need your own pen or pencil and a pair of tweezers may be usefull both for log and to retrieve small swaps.
On the opposite bank to the cache GZ is a water wheel which is all that remains of a mill used to grind bones to make fertiliser used in agriculture called bone meal. The exact date of the building of the mill is unknown but it was working up until about 1900. The main source of bones was from the whaling fleet which used to operate out of Kings Lynn. Towards the end of the 18th century Lynn had a fleet of 5 whaling ships which would set off in March and return about 3 or 4 months later laden with blubber and bones. The blubber was boiled to produce oil for domestic and street lamps.The whale bones were brought up river on barges to the bone mill where they were boiled to remove the fat and to make them brittle and easier to grind. When the whaling industry went into decline the bones had to be sourced elsewhere and there are stories of human bones being exhumed from churchyards to supply the mill. In 1837 the value of bones imported from abroad was £250000 which was very big money in those days.There are some photos of the mill towards the end of the 1800s and it does look to be of some considerable size. STOP PRESS. A grant from the lottery fund has been obtained to do some restoration work on the mill. English heritage have started work with several volunteers on clearing the site. The mill wheel is to be repaired in situ with several new buckets already having been replaced. I am involved as a volunteer and will keep this site updated as things progress. At some stage the water level will be raised by means of a replica guilotine sluice which will enable the wheel to turn once again. The mill project has its own website at bonemill.org.uk which is well worth a visit. Update November 17th 2015. The mill wheel has now turned under water power for the first time in approx 150 years, a great day for us volunteers. The frame for the guilotine gate sluice is now in position as well. This is made from oak and replicates the original as shown in the only picture we have of the intact mill in the 19th century. Work continues to uncover more of the rapidly growing site. As winter approaches we need to cover up vulnerable brick and woodwork. PLEASE visit our website to see lots of pictures of the work as it has progressed so far. bonemill.org.uk . There are two weekends every year when access is available over a bridge to visit the site usually in May and September, check website for dates. The site is also every Thursday when volunteers are at work. Tea and biscuits are always available!!
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Rlr yriry.
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