Reflections on the Year

Whilst we like to think that life at Stretton Watermill continues an unchanging pattern, following the rhythm of the seasons through the centuries, on reflection each year is a little different and we head off in new directions, have new ideas and meet new friends.

We have had a particularly busy year in 2011 in terms of schools visiting the mill, often travelling considerable distances to discover the unique atmosphere of our mill.  We started in March with the first of many schools coming for our special Air Raids and Evacuees workshop on partnership with the Cheshire Military Museum, and continued right through until the end of October with some of our Harvest workshops for younger pupils.

In April, the BBC chose Stretton Watermill as the best example of a working historic mill in Britain and came to film part of their Great British Bake Off programme at Stretton.  Though the theme was the many dangers and hazards of milling, we will be more careful with our visitors! 

Our special living history events were wonderfully well attended with record numbers for both our Tudor Festival in July and Victorian Harvest weekend in September. 

We said goodbye to our curator Matt Wheeler, who has headed off to be in charge of the Irish Agricultural Museum in County Wexford and also to John Herson, a miller at Stretton of over two decades experience.  We also said hello to Chris Hocking, who has joined us as a miller after several years of volunteering his melodeon playing and penny farthing riding skills.

So, what plans for the future.  Well in 2012, you can look forward to a new historic event, the Wartime Mill in April, a Tudor Festival in July and the Victorian Harvest and Food Weekend will once again close the season at the end of September.  We'll be planting more apple trees and adding to our interpretation in the shippen exploring the history of the mill and the people who worked there through the centuries.

Do keep visiting us at the mill itself and on this blog, we love to keep learning from you all.  And remember, you are very welcome to join us to wassail the apple trees on Old New Year, Saturday 14th January 2012, at 4pm.  All best wishes against the New Year from us jolly millers.

Beer and Skittles

Millers and colleagues from Weaver Hall Museum recently met for the annual Mill vs Museum skittles match.  It's always a time of sharing stories and remembering the happenings of the past year.  We also said a sad but fond farewell to one of our millers, John, who has been grinding wheat at Stretton for 22 years though we're very pleased he will be keeping in touch with the goings on at the mill.

After a meal and sharing stories the skittles began, with any strategies and plans soon changing it to just pelting the balls down the alley as hard as could be done and hoping for the best.

For the past 4 years the millers were victorious, but the tide had turned and the museum took home the trophy.

Then the night was ended and all headed home.  But we shall be back together at Stretton Watermill at 4pm on Saturday 14th January - Old New Year - when we'll be wassailing our apple trees and looking forward to a new season of milling adventures.

Steep Stairs and a Tumbling Toy

One of the curiosities of many watermills, including Stretton, is that they have an upstairs and a downstairs but both are on the ground floor.  The rear of the mill building is, in effect, part of the dam that holds back the mill pond.  Outside the ground slowly slopes from the front to the back of the watermill and so each floor can be entered on the level.

But, if you want to get upstairs from the inside then there are some rather steep ladder like stairs.  Millers sometimes rush up and down them faster than they perhaps should. 

Ascending the stairs, you get glimpses of the building's history which the mill otherwise keeps secret - like the square oak mullions of an unglazed window,

or the holes where the hazel uprights of a wattle panel were once held tight.

Sometimes when schoolchildren who are visiting the mill have a few spare minutes at the end of the day there is a chance for them to play with some traditional toys.  The jolly sailor tumbling down his rigging has been a long standing favourite, but seemed a bit out of place at the mill.  But then - sudden realisation - it's not rigging, it's the steep stairs of the mill.  And he's not a sailor but a jolly miller, well, with a bit of repainting anyway.  And if he now happens to look like one of our favourite millers at Stretton, that's just coincidence!