Museums & Galleries · Dorset
Sherborne Steam & Waterwheel Centre
📍 DT9 3RX
Photo: Chris Allen (CC BY-SA 2.0), via Wikimedia Commons
- 26-foot diameter waterwheel with steel rims and buckets
- Ventilated bucket system invented by William Fairbairn
- Refurbished Hindley steam engine in new museum building
- Second, smaller Hindley steam engine also on display
- Engines run under steam on Open Days
Sherborne Steam & Waterwheel Centre is a small volunteer-run museum on Oborne Road, Sherborne, preserving a restored 26-foot waterwheel that once supplied clean water to the town from 1869 until 1959, along with a refurbished Hindley steam engine housed in a new museum building, plus a second, smaller Hindley engine. On Open Days, held on Sundays from 11:30am to 3:30pm, you can see both engines running under steam. There's limited parking on site, with more available on Oborne Road, and plenty of space for picnics. It suits those curious about industrial heritage and engineering history. The centre sits close to Sherborne station, 0.6 miles away, with 17 bookable places to stay within 5 miles if you fancy making a stay of it.
Practical details
- Open
- Open Days are Sundays, 11:30am to 3:30pm
- Parking
- Limited on-site parking, with additional parking on Oborne Road
- Best for
- Visitors interested in industrial heritage, with room for picnics
From the attraction's own website on 12 Oct 2026 — check before you travel.
Facilities
- ✓ Parking
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Create a free account to claimPlaces to stay near Sherborne Steam & Waterwheel Centre
Make a proper break of it — these stays are all within 25 miles.
0.3 mi
1.1 mi
Grange Farm Cottages - Kingfisher Cottage
Sherborne, South West England
Sleeps 4
£427 per break
Check availability
1.1 mi
Grange Farm Cottages - Woodpecker Cottage
Sherborne, South West England
Sleeps 4
£427 per break
Check availability
1.1 mi
1.2 mi
1.9 mi
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🗓️ Make a break of it
Turn a visit to Sherborne Steam & Waterwheel Centre into a proper getaway — ready-made plans, and the drive worked out with fuel, EV charging and the best stops.
A weekend in Bournemouth with the kids →
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🗺️ Plan the drive to Sherborne Steam & Waterw...
🚆 Or come by train
- Sherborne 0.6 miles
- Thornford 4.2 miles
- Yeovil Pen Mill 4.7 miles
Straight-line distances · live departures on each station page