Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2014/January 2015 | Page 53

FEATURE

Picture by Julian Winslow

A peep into the past at
new Briddlesford Centre
T

he Hop Kilns Heritage Centre at
Briddlesford Farm has recently
opened its doors to the public.
The Centre provides the opportunity for
visitors to enjoy a fascinating insight into
how dairy farming on the Island, and at
Briddlesford in particular, has evolved over
the years. The displays will change over
time to embrace such subjects as growing
and planting, horses and livestock, with
some of the artefacts on show stretching
back nearly 100 years.
Curator Judi Griffin explained: “Some
of the old buildings in the farm yard had
become in danger of collapse. They are
historical though because hop kilns were

used here in the past. So rather than
demolish them, we decided to preserve
them, but clearly we were not going to
grow hops here and start using them
again to brew beer. Hops were grown here
100 years ago, and probably before then,
and beer was brewed here for the whole
of the Briddlesford estate, and some was
also sent around the Island and even to
the mainland.
“The hop kilns were later used for storing
grain, and eventually to house farm
machinery and tools. I have always wanted
to do something about the farming history
here, so we gathered up all the tools and
old machinery, and suddenly we saw the

opportunity to display them and form the
Heritage Centre.
“We decided to concentrate on dairy
items in the first instance, and the display
portrays how dairy farming used to be,
and how it has developed over the years.
Over time the exhibition will change,
because there is so much to show.”
The hop kilns have been fully restored,
enhanced and developed with one kiln
housing the rural artefacts display, and the
other displaying work by Island artist and
basket maker Tim Johnson, and acclaimed
Island photographer Julian Winslow, who
has made a film, with music, which will be
shown throughout visits.
www.visitilife.com

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