HISTORY enthusiasts are helping to chart the South Lakeland’s rich heritage with an archaeological project.

About 60 volunteers and the National Trust and Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) are delving into the fascinating stories behind four of Cumbria’s plethora of medieval fulling mill sites, which were once at the heart of the county’s industry.

The first archaeological survey is taking place this week at land behind High Close Youth Hostel, at Loughrigg, Ambleside, once home to a busy mill, where freshly sheared wool from sheep on nearby fells was washed and softened prior to dying and tailoring.

It is all part of the Windermere Reflections project, set up by the Environment Agency, and National Trust archaeologist Jamie Lund, who is based in Grasmere, said he hoped the work would open up a door on the past.

“We know almost nothing about fulling mills, even though it was Cumbria’s biggest industry for many centuries between 1300 and 1800, when there were something like 600 mills across the county,” he said.

“So we thought we would investigate four in total and from that we will be able to learn more than we do now.”

The other sites being surveyed are ones at Easedale, Grasmere and Great Langdale, and the project has also included a study in woodland at Graythwaite Estates.