Opening times 

2.00 - 5.00 pm on the FOURTH Sunday of each month from April to September.

During these days the saw frame is operated using the waterwheel. Guide Book and other publications are available.  The location on the edge of Gunton lake is very scenic, and some nice walks can be had in the area.  Free car parking for mill visitors

Dating from the 1820s, Gunton Sawmill is the oldest surviving water-powered sawmill in the country.

The thatched wooden mill building with its two breastshot waterwheels stands within the boundaries of the park of Gunton Hall, the former residence of the Harbord family. The power is derived from the fall of water from the ornamental lake.

The framesaw has a massive timber framework, separate from the structure of the building. A flywheel and crank operate a set of vertical saw blades. The horizontal carriage, capable of holding a tree trunk one metre in diameter and six metres long, is advanced by an inching mechanism. There are also benches for circular saws and, in the gallery, a grist mill.

The site is now owned by the Norfolk Windmills Trust, who also managed the main restoration.

Norfolk Industrial Archaeology Society assisted with the restoration and now maintain and operate the machinery. During the summer months regular parties work on the mill to maintain it in full working order. We always looking for volunteers to join us and help in this work.

Location

Map reference: TG224335
Just off the unclassified road, half a mile west of Suffield, at the southern edge of Gunton Park