Reading and Whitchurch, England

This morning we visited the Museum of English Rural Life at the University of Reading. The museum houses the most comprehensive national collection of objects relating to the history of food, farming and the countryside. There was a lot of farm equipment but also sewing machines, butter molds and other fun stuff. This is one of the beautiful old sewing machines.

They also had cute critters made of corn straw called "corn dollies".

And some really neat wall art made from old printing plates.

In the afternoon we visited the Whitchurch Silk Mill, a 19th century water mill that weaves English silk fabrics using 19th century machinery. The Mill is the oldest working silk mill in Britain, still weaving in its original building. The colors were just amazing.

Posted with Blogsy