Collection: Food Museum Produce

Originally located in the village of Sutton, Alton Watermill is an 18th-century mill. Built for the production of flour, it was used up until the 1960s. It was dismantled in 1971 and re-erected at the museum in 1973, saving it from demolition.

The mill has an overshot waterwheel, which is unique in East Anglia. This type of mil relies on a water source at a higher level than the wheel, so that the weight of water in the bucket pulls the wheel around. Although this is the most efficient type of waterwheel, it was not common in East Anglia as the land is generally flat.