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Wills Barn is believed to be nearly 300 years old, though there are no records to tell us who built it or what it was designed for. However, the proximity to the old Drove Road suggests that this was a staging post as the drovers brought their cattle and sheep down from the Mendips on their way to market in the valley bellow.

Restoration of the Barn began in July 2006 after planning permission was granted to convert it into an Education Centre. The building was, by then, in very poor condition, with the roof timbers rotten, many of the roof slates missing, some of the walls decidedly unsafe and a tree growing up from inside it!

The restoration project, completed in March 2007, involved many different people, each with their own special skills. They included designers, builders, plasterers, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, painters, conservationists, green-energy advisors, planners and building inspectors.

The restored building now has a new lease of life and will be used for many, many years to come.

For more details of the restoration, click here to download a PDF Factsheet