Harriet and Tillie Norfolk January 2016

I visited into their workshop to collect this magnificent hand-made Oak cupboard for a fellow bodger.

Fully dovetailed drawers with Lime bottoms.

One of the short workbenches – made to last!

The main workbench – I think the legs were 6x6!

One of the many hand made tools – this one for holding whilst shooting 45degree angles. The screw thread was made from Rosewood, the body Mahogany.

 

This home made plane had a Holly sole (has a very slippery finish).

A rack of hand made clamps – hornbeam lead-screws and ash frames.

The small one is of Beech and has mellowed with age – Harriet made this in 1952

They grow most of their own food and harvest nuts from their own and local trees.

This heat powered fan helps to push the heat across the room. The Peltier element converts heat into electricity – driving the motor.

 

Harriet was baking bread in her drawing office – yes really, she has a proper drawing board.

It’s amazing to see so much growing even at this time of year. They also have 19 chickens and some bantams.

Normally at this time of year when the days are shorter they stop laying, so they would put on an outside light to stop this. However without the light they are still laying enough.

Pin Mill at Woodbridge Suffolk

Although normally closed on Sundays – I found a trustee inside who gave me the guided tour.

The crown wheel is cast iron and the cogs on the drive wheel are of Oak mounted in a cast wheel. I was surprised – thought that Alder may have been a better material, perhaps the repetitive wetting and drying out favoured Oak.

The Oak paddlewheel had recently been replaced – it looked brand new.

At high tide the lagoon next to the Mill fills. When the tide turns the gates close trapping the water. Then at low tide they let the water past the paddlewheel onto the mudflats now exposed by the tide.

 

The outside has also just been painted and guttering put up (to help protect the external woodwork). The guttering addition fell foul of English Heritage who was against it, common sense ruled however.

The Mill is now owned by the people of Woodbridge and maintained by an army of volunteers. They still mill flour which they sell. Get baking!