Green Bank, Aspatria, near Blennerhasset Village, Co. Cumbria, England
Blennerhasset Mill is some distance to the north of the Blennerhasset Village (spelled with a single letter "t", unlike the family name Blennerhassett which usually has "tt") where the River Ellen forms its boundary. This is a water-driven flour mill deriving its power from the River Ellen, located near Green Bank, Aspatria. Built (or rebuilt) of sandstone ca1647, the mill ground corn for the people of Blennerhasset, Baggrow and surrounding area. From ca1990 restored with local volunteer help by owner Andy Curle of Wigton, the mill is a renewable energy project, surrounded by flourishing organic gardens. The mill is on private land but may sometimes be visited, with permission. Aspatria is close to the English Lake District, a stunningly beautiful area of the UK.
To aid the Blennerhasset Mill restoration project Andy Curlehas since 1988 raised funds by making and selling his own design of candle-powered tin-plate Pop-pop Steam Boats.
Constructed from recycled materials, raising money for a great cause and providing hours of fun, the boats are available from Andy at Blennerhasset Mill, Green Bank, Aspatria, Cumbria CA7 3QQ, UK
Andy exhibits and sells Pop-pop Steam Boats at model fairs and at festivals such as the annual Green Man Festival (a popular independent music and arts festival held annually in August in the Brecon Beacons, South Wales) and Tewkesbury Medieval Festival (with its annual re-enactment of the Battle of Tewkesbury, where thousands of re-enactors, entertainers and traders gather for the largest Medieval re-enactment in Europe.
Read the history of Blennerhasset Mill at the Blennerhasset Village Website. A description of Blennerhasset Mill with illustrations also appears in "Two Centuries of a Cumberland Village: Blennerhasset", by local historian Geoffrey Bremner (pp.79-80), published by "Bookcase", 19 Castle Street, Carlisle CA3 8SY.
Please note, these boats are not obtainable through this website.
