COLDHARBOUR Mill is opening its doors this half-term and inviting visitors to experience one of Britain’s finest working Victorian woollen mills.

The mill is running a Hallowe’en trail for children, and producing its beautiful yarns and textiles on heritage machines, as well as telling the fascinating story of the Industrial Revolution.

The climax of the week is on Sunday, October 29, with a Steam Day and the unveiling of the new Culm Valley Light Railway model layout. The scale model, painstakingly reproduced by Culm Valley Model Railway Club, gives a unique glimpse into this famous branch line from Tiverton to the former milk factory at Hemyock.

In addition to the mill’s own engines, the Steam Day will also host a number of scale model steam engines in the yard which will be brought by supporters of the mill for everyone to enjoy and add to the steam experience.

Today Coldharbour Mill is recognised as one of the most important working heritage mills in the UK containing not only the original steam engines but also the working waterwheel which was used until the mill was converted to steam to meet the growing demands of production. This and the Culm Valley light railway made Coldharbour Mill central to textile production in the UK.

The mill is open 10.30am-4pm from Friday (October 20) to Sunday, October 29 – that is both weekends and from Tuesday to Sunday during half-term.