The New Museum

These photos show the state of the building immediately prior to our taking it over this autumn (hopefully). The builders, Fairclough Homes, have cleaned it up, created the new floor, and staircase, with viewing gallery inside and external platform linking the two halves of the building, and allowing a view of the wheels when they are working. For a sample floor plan prepared by our new architectural advisers. Please refer to the Ravensbury mill (37.4kb) as it was and side view plans (24.8kb).

For a more detailed backgound of the history of Ravensbury Mill, see our mail order pages.

Essentially, the 'Wheelhouse' part is on the West end, and lies underneath one of the new flats in the original mill building, and comprises a good entrance Hall, and the first exhibition room. 'The Museum Hall' lies to the East of the wheels, and is on two floors, with an viewing gallery allowing a view from the upstairs main exhibition room over the driving wheel on the ground floor. The Museum Hall comprises two rooms on each floor, with an ancillary kitchen and toilets on the ground,and an end 'office' on the first floor.

	This room is groundfloor North, and is proposed to be used for lectures and cafe purposes. A kitchen is already constructed. [Full size image 15.1kb]		This shows the main wheel driven by the Mill wheels as it appears from the viewing gallery, First Floor central. We propose using the wall above for projection of images. [Full size image 26.9kb]
	This room adjoins the mill wheels on the South side. The steps lead up to the outside platform. To the left is the second driving wheel. [Full size image 19.9kb]		The driving wheel on this side is contained in a wooden enclosure, and was originally connected to a whole range of pulleys and wheels. [Full size image 23.4kb]
	This shot is taken from the viewing platform between the two waterwheels, showing their current state of disrepair. [Full size image 21.4kb]		A shot showing a section of one of the waterwheels. Note the shovel shaped paddles. [Full size image 22.9kb]
	This shows some of the width of the Ground Floor central room, underneath the viewing gallery, with the driving wheel just out of shot to the left. [Full size image 17.0kb]		This shot is taken from the door leading into the Ground floor central, from the outside platform. The edge of the viewing gallery can be seen. [Full size image 17.2kb]
	The outside platform links the two halves of the building, crossing the mill pond, and permitting views of the mill wheels themselves (left of shot). [Full size image 16.2kb]		This shot shows the main door to the outside main road. The architects propose making a glazed enclosure around the outside entrance, from which a side door can be constructed through to the ground floor central with a ramp for disabled access. [Full size image 18.8kb]
	A shot along the first floor central room to the viewing gallery. This is a really handsome room, already. [Full size image 24.8kb]		The building will be delivered to us with toilets installed, including a disabled toilet as seen in this shot, together with a kitchen area (not fitted, sadly) and central heating. [Full size image 19.1kb]

Ravensbury Mill History

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