This big overshot water wheel reminded me of photographs I had seen of the big wheel at Laxey on the Isle of Man.
This was one half of the village shop. Sadly it wasn't open when we were there. The staff have to spread themselves thinly, doing various different talks and jobs about the place. I thought this was a good teaching aid for school childfren (there were two groups there when we visited) but not a patch on Beamish!
A very sleepy Jack, the Clydesdale horse who was used for all the delivery jobs when they were filming at the farm.
That photo of the Dartmoor Laddie again. Both chaps were falling asleep from boredom. Hate to think of them inside in this weather.
There were also a couple of pens of this year's lambs and a goat, who was free range and pleased himself where he wandered.
Another inside shot, this time in Ruth's cottage. The "Betty Maid" for drying laundry is what we have here, two of them in our kitchen.
The bedroom in Ruth's cottage, with a rag rug beside the bed. In the programme, Ruth showed how to make a clippy rug like this one.
Some clothing from that period hanging up. From what I remember, the grey top looks like something a young girl would have worn over the top of her dress.
I wanted to do a post about Bal Maidens, but will have to suffice with a link to an atmospheric piece of writing which tells you how children as young as 8 were employed breaking the rocks. This cap would have been worn but how much protection it offered from chips of rock flying into people's faces is debatable. I've always fancied making one of these - trapunto work and neatly sewn folds.
It is too hot up here now and I need to be back to the decorating downstairs.
