A 'RARE' water wheel discovered at an undisclosed location near Ulverston is due to be refurbished and then shown by a Coniston businessman with an ongoing history in this field.

The water wheel, thought to be more than 100 years old, was found on an undisclosed 17th. century farmstead situated on the edge of the Lake District, which has all now been renovated.

Martin Stables, an Ulverston resident who has been working on this project, said: "Discovered in the grounds some 20 years ago by the present owner when he purchased the property, he re-sited the collection to where it has lain since and I subsequently ‘rediscovered’ it, then suggesting it needs saving.

"It is from the 19th century, possibly as early as 1820s with an unknown origin, supposedly brought to the site by the former owner who likely salvaged it to restore to its former glory.

"I made a plea online for someone to help rescue this cast iron wonder and it came to be that Phil Johnston of Coniston Coppermines, made contact, which was my original hope, given his knowledge and achievements at his site.

"Having viewed the wheel all laid out, the deal was done, a good outcome, having had enquiries from across the country it was pleasing.”

Mr Johnston is in the business of preserving local historic artefacts which is why he snapped up this wheel, having recently overseen the refurbishment of a 32-foot wheel.

This love of the wheels started 40-years-ago when he first bought the Coppermines and has continued ever since.

"The Victorian engineering is something I just love," he said.

"South Lakeland was full of water wheels due to the industrial past of the region.

"People just took around water wheels to power different things, this wheel is probably around five to 10 horsepower, which is certainly more than a horse, but not too powerful. They are rare to find nowadays."

He explained that this wheel in particular was rare in that it did not have a foundry mark on there. But he hopes to see is fully refurbished in the year.