The Willow Works - Beckingham - North Nottinghamshire

http://www.aboutnottinghamshire.co.uk/
Beckingham is a little hamlet on the edge of the River Trent.  It's not somewhere I would normally have reason to visit, but during wonderful Heritage Weekend places that are not normally open to the public, become available.  And this is how I ended up visiting the restored Willow Works Open Day.

This simple brick building is the only one to survive from what was once one of the main cottage industries of Beckingham.  Many villagers were employed both at the Willow Works and from home to create such items as baskets, fencing, hampers, fish traps, lobster pots, yokes, cricket bats, clothes pegs and hurdles.

It is thanks to the grants from various bodies that it has been possible to save this fine building from total collapse and create a multi-functional amenity.  It has only taken a year to re-roof and re-point, install new windows and doors, and add new vents in the roof in keeping with the original style.  In addition bat boxes and owl nests have been created in the loft area.

More than 350 people visited on the open day and were able to tour the building which housed an impressive exhibition.  The offices will be the base of the Trent Vale Landscape Partnership during 2012, while the local history group will be permanently based there.  The first floor function room can be hired out for meetings, conferences, weddings, groups etc.  In addition partners such as the RSPB and Wildlife Trust will use it as a base to offer training programmes, while Groundwork hope to offer learning facilities to local school groups.