Every year The Curious Cow Antiques proudly supports Heritage Open Days, offering the public the chance to visit a unique piece of our past. During September many establishments throw open their doors and allow the public a peek into places that are usually off limits, and we are no different here. During Heritage Open Days (this year from September 13th - 21st) the last surviving watermill on the River Yeo opens its doors for guided tours, for a glimpse into a building with a history so unique its construction involves the "Father of British Geology", a bunch of coal miners and a visionary farmer's widow ensuring a future for her young son.

Located on the same farm as The Curious Cow Antiques, less than 50 yards from our front door, lies the Hinton Farm Watermill. Sitting directly under the Red Barn Farm Shop, itself situated in a Grade II listed red brick Manorial barn, the watermill was constructed in 1800AD by the man behind the Somerset Coal Canal , William Smith, at the request of Maria Goodforde, widow of the local landowner. Using coal miners to tunnel a water channel from the River Yeo, under the old Manor House site and what now stands as the yard of The Curious Cow Antiques & into a wheel pit under the Red Barn that can still be seen today, this remarkable feat of engineering offers a glimpse of a bygone era in farming and land management.

SO why not come along over the Heritage Open Days period and get a fully guided tour of the mill and associated structures, and learn the fascinating history of a building that we are proud to have an association with, as well as being able to do a little recreational retail therapy in our shop! Tours run daily from 11am with the last tour starting at 4pm. As some of the tour is outside, please wear sensible footwear (muddy fields), bring a jacket (Autumn weather) and be prepared for cobwebs!!