Waterwheel

What is it?

Imagine a magical place called Combe Mill where a big, powerful river called Evenlode used to flow right through the mill! At the heart of the mill is a very special wheel called a waterwheel which was used to turn lots of different machines. But, how did it work? Well, the waterwheel is attached to a long wooden stick called a shaft, kind of like a broomstick. At the end of the stick, there's a very big gear made of incredibly strong iron. Think of it like a big, metal cog that's key to making everything happen. To make sure it works perfectly, the gear has teeth that are made of wood - a bit like your teeth, but much bigger! The big gear then worked with some other little gears to turn something called a line shafting inside the mill. It was a bit like a super-long pole that all the other machines were attached to. Finally, imagine some really strong leather belts that connect the machines to the line shafting. Now, when the waterwheel turns, the gears start moving, which makes the line shafting turn, which then makes the machines work! These machines were used to chop and shape wood in the sawmill. So, next time you're out and about, think of the amazing ways that Combe Mill and its waterwheel helped shape the world around us!