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Bishops Lydeard Mill and Rural Life Museum facts for kids

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Bishops Lydeard Mill and Rural Life Museum
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Location Bishops Lydeard, Somerset, England

The Bishops Lydeard Mill and Rural Life Museum is a fascinating historic building and museum. You can find it in Bishops Lydeard, a lovely village in Somerset, England. It's a great place to discover what life was like in the past!

Discover Bishops Lydeard Mill!

A Glimpse into History

This special building has a long history! It was first built in the 1700s, which is a very long time ago. Later, in the early 1800s, a millhouse was added to it.

The mill is so important that it's been named a Grade II listed building. This means it's a historic place that needs to be protected.

After a lot of hard work, the building was carefully fixed up starting in the year 2000. It officially reopened its doors in 2003, ready for visitors to explore!

The Mighty Waterwheel

One of the most exciting parts of the mill is its huge waterwheel. This amazing wheel weighs more than two tonnes – that's heavier than a small car!

The waterwheel is an "overshot" type, which means water flows over the top of the wheel to make it spin. The water comes from a stream called Back Stream, which starts in the Brendon Hills. This stream's power helps the mill work!

Step Back in Time: The Museum

The museum at Bishops Lydeard Mill is all about traditional jobs and crafts from long ago. It shows you how people used to make things before modern machines.

You can see different workshops, like a wheelwright's shop, where people made and fixed wooden wheels. There's also a cooper's shop, where barrels were made, and a saddler's shop, for making leather saddles.

Don't miss the blacksmith's shop, where metal was shaped with fire and hammers. You can also peek into a Victorian kitchen to see how families cooked and lived in the 1800s. It's like stepping back in time!

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