Gaywood River - Kettle Watermill

Kettle Watermill

It was on the bend at the top of Kettlewell Lane that the mill once stood and was known as King's Lynn Kettle Watermill. The first record shows it as being a building housing lepers. Kettle Mills does not ever appear to have ever been a manufacturing mill. However, at one point during its rich and varied career it was certainly driven by the waters of the Gaywood.

Kettle Mill was so called because the mill in the area was originally horse powered and was in operation by the beginning of the 15th century, its purpose being to draw water from the river (in kettle-like containers) to supply the town's freshwater conduits. One of the earliest of which ran from the Kettlemill down Damgate to Gresemarket, with a connection south to the Saturday marketplace. The inventor of this system is said to have been one Peter Morrys, a Dutchman, and his system was adopted not only in King's Lynn, but also in Hull and other large towns and London where several of the wooden pipes were dug up in the area of Marble Arch, elm being the favourite wood as it was more capable of standing up to conditions and pressure than cheaper timbers. This system would eventually be found to be wasteful and dangerous to health as the pipes and pits were near to cesspools and drains. Several of these tree pipes have fairly recently been unearthed in New Conduit Street dated early 19th century. Later Kettlemill was used as a coal-fired electricity plant but was eventually demolished to make way for the offices of the Local Drainage Board. At the southern end of Kettlewell Lane, the river passes under the A148, Littleport Street heading south, it then passes through a culvert underneath the main railway lines to King’s Lynn station.