River Cong (Norfolk)

For the river in Connacht, Ireland, see River Cong (Ireland).

River Cong
River
250px River Cong
Country	England
State	Norfolk
Region	East of England
District	King's Lynn and West Norfolk
Source	Manor Farm, Congham, Norfolk
Mouth	Merges with the River Babingley
Length	1.5 mi (2 km)
River Cong Within King’s Lynn and West Norfolk

File:Congham Oil Mill 15th October 2007 (1).JPG

Congham Oil Watermill

The River Cong is in the west of the county of Norfolk. It is a tributary of the River Babingley. The spring rises in a meadow pool on the Hillington side of Manor Farm, Congham. From there, the river flows through the wood and over a small waterfall, where in the past it powered all the machinery within the Congham Oil Mill (grid reference TF71342475), which is now known as Congham Lodge.

Congham Oil Mill

The mill is said to have been built for processing whales. Whales were transported from King's Lynn docks by horse and wagon. The mill produced oil from whale blubber. The resultant whale bones were then taken by road to Narborough Bone Mill where they were ground into fertiliser. Some of the whale bones remain as ornaments at Congham Lodge to this day. The waterfall that drove the mill still remains. There would have been a horrendous smell especially in the summer, which was why the mill was situated away from King's Lynn itself. The Cong then flows on under the A148 and joins the Babingley close by the Gatton Waters caravan site.

See also

• The River Babingley

References

File:River Cong (1).JPG

The River Cong close to the point where it flows under the A148 road