The Klaxon story begins with an unusual gathering at a windmill in North Norfolk.
In fact, the windmill chapters were inspired by a long weekend that the author, Niamh Bryan, spent in a Norfolk windmill in the mid 1990s, for a seminar.
Although Niamh has been coming to Norfolk every year for the last decade, she couldn’t remember where this amazing windmill was located. There are a lot of windmills in Norfolk! It was lost in the mists of time, like a ghost…
Then, through 2 interesting coincidences of fate, this windmill re-entered Niamh’s life – long after she had finished writing the book:
The first re-connection came when the designer of the Klaxon book cover, Emily Waller (www.emilywstudio.com) - who has Norfolk family links - visited the county at the end of 2022 to find a template that she thought would fit the vague windmill description that Niamh had given her. She took quite a few photos, sent them to Niamh and then based her design on the one that Niamh said most resembled the windmill that she had stayed at. It was Tower Mill at Burnham Overy Staithe in Norfolk.
Last month, more than 6 months’ later, Niamh had feedback from some readers who had - by chance - stayed in a windmill that sounded very similar: one of them as part of a Quaker group in the 1970s and the other as part of a couple that had met in the windmill. Which windmill? Tower Mill at Burnham Overy Staithe…
Last week, Niamh travelled to Tower Mill from her home in Lichfield to investigate. As she approached the gates of the closed-up windmill, the memories of nearly 30 years ago came flooding back. Yes, this was her windmill. This is the KLAXON windmill. Finally the ghosts could be put to rest!
This iconic Grade II listed building, which looks over Scolt Head Island Nature Reserve on the north coast of Norfolk, is 2.5 miles from Burham Thorpe and was built 11 years after the death of that hamlet’s and this county's most famous son - Horatio Nelson, at the Battle of Trafalgar.
Also within sight is the tiny village and stunning harbour of Burnham Overy Staithe.
The windmill is just over a mile from the village of Burnham Market which was rated among the "20 most beautiful villages in the UK and Ireland" by Condé Nast Traveler in 2020 and nicknamed ‘Chelsea-on-Sea’ by others!
Tower Mill was a working mill for over 100 years before being converted into holiday accommodation and then donated in 1958 to the National Trust.
Here are some web links that shed light on its story and the area around it:
National Trust description of a circular route which ‘follows part of the Norfolk Coast Path and passes through Holkham National Nature Reserve’
Wikipedia history of the windmill and its millers
Detailed history with archive photographs of the Burnham Overy tower mill and watermill, compiled by Jonathan Neville nearly 20 years ago
There is a more recent summary of this story by Britain Express ‘Passionate about British Heritage’
…and, finally, a KL Magazine article ‘The mill that inspired a children’s classic’, explaining how the mill featured in the best known book of successful children’s author Joan G Robinson – ‘When Marnie Was There’ (1967) – and then in an anime version of the story (2015) by Studio Ghibli.
It also offers this description of the accommodation: ‘The ground floor comprises a dining room/lounge and a well-equipped kitchen, while the next two floors contain dormitories with eight bunkbeds - the lower floor also featuring an external balcony that wraps around the mill and offers amazing views over the surrounding landscape. The very top floor is a charming library/living room.’
KLAXON is a new novel and thriller about a woman seeking to escape an abusive and dangerous relationship. This Blog seeks to highlight issues around domestic violence and the sources of help for its victims. If you would like to find out more and to get involved with the blog or the promotion of Klaxon through book clubs and other means, please contact the Klaxon team.
Comments