THURSDAY 25/8/22  There were five volunteers, Emma, David and Eddie pulled more weeds from our wildflower area and cleared a large part of it. It was raining hard at times, so we sheltered in the railway wagon. Emma made us tea and we discussed plans for Heritage Open Days on 17 & 18 September. We decided to sow the wildflower seeds after the open days to ensure no one walks over the seeded area. Emma checked stocks of tea and coffee. Open days will be publicised on Narborough and Swaffham facebook pages, an advert is also in the latest Nar Valley News.

Ryan made a temporary walkway from scaffold planks to allow us to safely fit the water butts, he put the barrels on their stands, made 2 wooden bracket spacers and fitted the downpipe into one barrel. I made metal brackets to hold a gutter in place to feed into the other barrel from the shed roof gulley. The barrels are interconnected so if one is full the other will be topped up.

SATURDAY 27/8/22  Emma, David and I pulled up all the remaining weeds on the wildflower area. David then strimmed the corner near the gate so the track can go around the wildflower area instead of cutting across it, this will give a bigger meadow. David also strimmed along the top river bank, around the blacksmith and bridge areas while Emma dug out lots of Bindweed and I pulled up nettles and thistles with our thick gloves. I levelled out the hill over the tunnel to the upper bank so we have a more gradual slope, as we need to mow the wildflower meadow several times a year and keep paths cut throughout summer.

I unlocked the padlock and chain on the water wheel to check it can be turned at our open days and to change it for a better chain. When I removed the lock the wheel started turning, as rain had filled the buckets, making it heavier one side. As it turned, the chain got jammed between the wheel and wall which stopped the wheel. We had to lever the water wheel back to retrieve the chain. The new chain fits the lock better and is easier to use.

THURSDAY 1/9/22  Ryan made a permanent walkway around the water butts with stronger uprights holding vertical scaffold boards and extra soil and bricks each end to support the horizontal board. This gives access to barrels to fill watering cans and the water tank. Water butts are part of our Green Community grant.

Eddie cleared weeds from the wagon entrance, cistern top and brick floor areas as well as filling up the bird food. I put a fence at the end of the wildflower meadow so vehicles have to keep to the new track around it, I also fenced off the tunnel by the slope up to the river bank for safety at our open days.

I clamped the old table top to a batten to pull the twisted planks down flat and tightened the screws to hold them in place, this has worked well so we will make it into another outside table by fitting legs.

We had Buzzards flying overhead while we were working, and large Dragon Flies were flying around while we had lunch outside. On our way back we saw a pair of Swans on the river.

SATURDAY 3/9/22  There were 7 people on site, Fred spread out soil on the upstream brick floor which is being covered to protect from frost damage, this will be a Cornfield Flower area next to the Wildflower Meadow. Fred also used the digger to move the concrete block with two girders which used to stick out over the river, this is now on view as a feature, but we don’t know what it was used for. 

Fred cleared rubble opposite the brick floor and I took two trailer loads back and tipped it in the yard. I brought pallets back from the maltings for bricks to be stacked on, Fred and David filled 3 pallets, these will be used to repair loose brickwork around the site. See Sowing Seed article for the next phase of the wildflower project.

Debra, Ryan, Eddie, Emma and David weeded the downstream floor, cistern top, grindstones, channel floor, hammer mill and machinery area. Our compost bay is overflowing as all weeds from the latest work parties have been put there. Emma strimmed the small Oak tree area, river bank and tunnel outlet. Labradors Henry and Hector were with us today, they enjoyed having sticks thrown for them, Hector kept going in the river and shaking himself dry beside us, it was a hot day so we were happy to be cooled down by being sprayed.

Fred gave us various things from The Maltings, a bag counter, two man saw, dredging or peat spade, hand drill, drain hopper, hooks, Right of Way sign and Cobblers Shoe Lasts. I fitted the sign to the Visitor Centre door and the bag counter to the wall beside the malt shovel, the counter can be used by clicking the actuator. Ryan fitted the drain hopper to the back of the shed so it feeds into the water butt. The other items will be put on display.

I laminated 3 signs to prevent anyone going into the recently exposed tunnels at the open days as there is loose brickwork above, Ryan made wooden boards and stapled the signs to them, these will be put by the upstream tunnels. The downstream tunnel is still safe for children to walk along, which they enjoy doing at open days. I checked our donation box is working by feeding in a banknote several times and removing the cover to ensure the mechanism is working smoothly as we need this for the open days.

Graham Bartlett 

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