Horse Harnesses and...Bagpipes

On arriving at the watermill today there were several picnickers enjoying the view over the millpond, even in its very drained pre-season appearance and lots of walkers wandering past making the most of the sunny Sunday.  Our neighbours from the former mill cottage were out for a walk with their pony.

It's still about a month before the mill opens to the general public again, (1pm on Sunday 1st April as you've asked), but this early visit was to collect some items of horse tack that are normally stored in our stable block as they are going to be displayed in a forthcoming exhibition at the Grosvenor Museum in Chester entitled "Taking The Reins: Horses in Cheshire" which will run from 19 May to 23 September 2012.

But it was only a brief visit as it was then on to meet with musicians at the Carden Arms in nearby Tilston to make plans for International Bagpipe Day on Saturday 10th March.  This has been organised by the Bagpipe Society to raise the profile of this traditional instrument, which was once so popular in Cheshire.  There are several events taking place around the local area, but we're proud to say that it all kicks off at Stretton Watermill at the very beginning of the day at 8.30am with some medieval music at the mill to recall Chaucer's Miller from the Canterbury Tales of who he wrote "a baggepipe wel coude he blow and sowne, and therewithal he broghte us out of towne" 

There are many more links between mills and bagpipes, but they are other stories for another day.

Waking up after Winter

We're not quite back in action yet at Stretton Watermill, as the site rests in the winter months, but there are signs that things are stirring.  Schools are starting to prepare their trips to visit us this year and we've been busy planning these in.  The school visits are one of the great privileges of being involved with Stretton Mill, as the experience of seeing gears grinding, chains clanking and flour falling makes a lasting impact on young minds.  We regularly get parents bringing their children because they came when they were children themselves, so hopefully we will continue to intrigue and inspire this year.

These pictures were sent to us from Overleigh Primary School after their visit to see the mill working and to experiment with our gears and wheels to tie in with their 'Forces and Motion' workshop.

And another great thing about school trips to the mill is that the visit and workshops are free!  You can find out more via the official mill website.