Coldharbour Mill Working Wool Museum

Coldharbour Mill is a Georgian Spinning Mill built by Thomas Fox and opened in 1799, bringing the Industrial Revolution in the Woolen Industry to Uffculme and Devon.

The Fox family continued to own and run the Mill until its closure in 1981. Initially woollen yarn was spun on Jennies and Mules until replaced by the worsted spinning process in 1865 when steam power was introduced.

A local Trust took over the Mill in 1982 and re-opened it as a Museum. The Mill building is unaltered since 1865 and much of the spinning machinery dates from the early 20th century. The waterwheel was in use until the 1970's and the horizontal steam engine powered the Mill until its closure in 1981. Both are running again and a Beam Engine contemporary to the one Fox's installed, was obtained (through the Science Museum), and is also steaming regularly.

A tour of the Mill can therefore demonstrate the textile process from fleece to finished yarn (which is turned into knitting wool) and how the Mill was powered through its almost 200 year life.

The Museum has also installed a weaving annex using machines from Fox's weaving shed in Wellington, allowing the demonstration of power loom weaving: woollen stair runner and yarn tartan cloth.

On non-steam days, visitors may explore the Boiler and Steam Engine Houses and the Millyard also contains a Gas retort House (which produced coal gas lighting) and a Carpentar's Workshop.

Visiotrs can enjoy a meal or snack in the Gill Box Restaurant , next to the Mill, as well as a range of other fibre related products supplied by John Arbon Textiles.

Opening times: 10.00am to 4.00pm Monday to Friday, plus weekends between Easter and October half term. Restaurant open 10.00am to 5.00pm seven days throughout the year.