Friday Photo: Steam Engine at Sarehole Mill

Todays Friday Photo is from a lovely Sunday visit to Sarehole Mill. I was taken with this view of the single cylinder steam engine that was installed in the granary, along with the prominent chimney in 1852. It was used to supplement the water wheels, enabling the mill to work uninterrupted. The current engine in the photo was installed during the 1975 restoration, having come from the Birmingham Museum of Science and Industry, as the original engine was removed. Although the mill is well know for its Tolkien association, It also has connections with Matthew Boulton (of Boulton & Watt fame) who in partnership with his father, leased the property between 1756 and 1761 to use it as a flattening mill.