Museum wants to get a handle on farming past

THE Ashwell Museum is appealing to village residents to help it find a missing link. Since the museum s opening in 1930, the agricultural area has been collecting tools and machinery that were used in the village s great days of farming. Over the years

THE Ashwell Museum is appealing to village residents to help it find a missing link.

Since the museum's opening in 1930, the agricultural area has been collecting tools and machinery that were used in the village's great days of farming.

Over the years residents and neighbouring villages have donated a number of objects including a wheelbarrow, pitch forks and haystack cutters.

But the one item that has been missing from the display was a handle for its scythe.

Peter Greener, the museum's curator since 1983, said: "We have been after a scythe handle for a while and hopefully someone will donate one and help us complete the collection.

"The handle must have been used in Ashwell though, that is our only requirement."

Mr Greener said: "The farming section is important to the museum. Ashwell has been rich in such objects as there were lots of farms around the area.

"Agriculture in Ashwell has been a major part of the village all of its life. It has lost its way of late as farm work has gradually changed.

"But it is important to have the old tools on show as it is a good reminder of how things used to work.