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Step back in time at Shepherd Wheel Workshop, Sheffield's historic water-powered grinding site
Nestled in the heart of Sheffield’s Porter Valley and dating back to the 1500s, Shepherd Wheel Workshop is a rare and remarkable survivor from a bygone era. Once one of many small water-powered grinding sites along the city’s rivers, today it stands as the earliest complete example of its kind and is a living reminder of Sheffield’s industrial past.
Powered by the Porter Brook, this historic site was used to sharpen penknives, carving knives and butcher’s blades. Amazingly, it continued operating with water power right up to the 1930s, long after most workshops had switched to electricity. With its five rivers and seven hills, Sheffield was well-suited for water power and the Shepherd Wheel Workshop is a shining example of how this natural energy shaped the city’s history.
In this video, join our Head of Historic Engineering as he prepares the workshop for public opening: unlocking the buildings, checking the waterwheel, greasing bearings and teeth, stoking the fire, and opening the sluices to set the mighty wheels in motion.
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