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In the entrance to the museum is a diorama showing
how the windmill was built, with some of the early types of
tools used in its construction. There is also an exhibition
of woodworking tools donated by a millwright who worked on its
restoration. |
| How the windmill was built |
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The museum contains many working models of windmills showing how they
have developed from early Persian and Greek mills to modern wind farms.
There are examples of the many post mills, tower mills and smock mills
built in this country together with some unusual and experimental
mills. There is a continuous performance of films explaining the working
of windmills and the milling process in the ground floor video room.
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| Some of the many working models |
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The models are very detailed |
On the first floor there are examples of milling machinery and equipment
with explanations of how things were made and worked. There is a
large working model of the windmill in its working days and push
button displays showing the working of gears and millstones.
Children can try their hands at grinding wheat into meal using a
saddle stone, pestle and mortar or a hand quern. They can also test
their strength by lifting heavy sacks using a block and tackle or
changing the cloth on windmill sails.
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| A working millstone |
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A dressing or wire machine |
There are push button operated commentaries explaining the working
of the millstones and describing life in the windmill after it was
converted to living accommodation in 1864. There is ,of course,
always someone available to help and answer your questions.
A ladder leads up to the tower where you can look up to the remaining
machinery in the cap and, on windy days, see it turning.
Outside there are millstones and examples of farm machinery relating
to milling.
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