Historic watermills set to turn next month as county celebrates 'often overlooked' attractions
A number of the county's 'often overlooked' heritage attractions are set to bring in the crowds as they open to the public as part of a national celebration.
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On May 10 and 11, watermills and windmills will be celebrated across the UK as part of National Mills Week.
In Shropshire, it will provide the only opportunity to see some of these historic attractions turn.
John Bedington, honorary secretary of the Midland Wind and Water Mills Group, a voluntary society of mill enthusiasts, said: "National Mills Weekend is a celebration of Britain's rich but sometimes overlooked heritage of traditional windmills and watermills.
"Shropshire never had many windmills, but with its abundant rivers and streams it had many watermills. A few of the survivors of them will be open to the public that weekend, mostly free of charge."
He said on Saturday May 10 there is a rare chance to see three mills near Bridgnorth that are not normally open.
Wrickton Mill is a beautifully sited corn mill with complete machinery and a waterwheel that can turn.
Nearby at Charlcotte Furnace was a waterwheel to drive blast furnace bellows; the wheel has long since gone, but remarkably the 400 year old furnace survives, in a field.
Down Mill at Eudon is an old corn-grinding watermill with some machinery whose enthusiastic owner is keen to completely restore it.
And on Sunday May 11 in the afternoon, at Clun, people can visit a watermill that has been a Youth Hostel for many years but still retains the old millstones and gears and an an extraordinary water turbine of a type now unique in Britain.
On both days of the Weekend Daniels Mill at Bridgnorth, which opened for the season earlier this month, will be open.
The mill in Knowle Sands recently went through a renovation, which stopped the 38ft waterwheel – the largest powering a cornmill in the country - from turning for two years.
And for those who like something a bit more modern, there's a modern waterwheel making electricity at the Mill on the Green café in Ludlow.
For more details of opening times of these mills, and some in adjoining counties, go to www.midlandmills.org.uk and click on "National Mills Weekend"
