| The Hindley Waterwheel |
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Each side of the wheel, or shroud, is made up of 12 sections bolted together with wrought iron spokes. In all there are 72 buckets arranged around the circumference of the wheel. Its original function was to pump water from the River
Frome, in Wiltshire, to supply the Duke of Somerset's estate
and the village drinking fountain in Maiden Bradley. The Duke kindly
restarted the wheel at its official opening ceremony on 17th
July 1993.
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Before the invention of steam engines, many mines, mills
and even textile factories used waterwheels to drive pumps
and other machinery. The museum's waterwheel is a 20ft. diameter
backshot wheel, driving a set of three throw pumps though
a reduction gear.