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This wooden press was loaned to the Museum by the English Country Cheese Council. It is believed to date from circa 1700, and was thought to be used for pressing hard cheeses such as cheddar or Cheshire cheese. It is made of wood and consists of a box, frame, stool and wheel. It is thought that the cheese would be pressed between the stool and the box, with the box loaded with weights to exert the necessary pressure. It has also been suggested that this is a linen press, rather than a cheese press.

1 cheese press: wood [polished oak] and rope; good condition.... frame by turning the eight-spoked wheel at the top of the frame. There is a wooden pin which fits into cogs on the wheel and holda the box in any one position: presumably cheese could be pressed between the stool and the box and the latter would be loaded with stones or other weight to exert the required amount of pressure

MERL ‘History Artefacts’ card – ‘Description: An unusual wooden press. The stool has four legs and the wooden frame has a box at the top which houses a wooden bar and wheels. From these is suspended, by means of a rope, a wooden box 73.0cm high x 79.0cm wide. This box can be raised and lowered inside the frame by turning the 8-spoked wheel at the top of the frame. There is a wooden pin which fits into cogs on the wheel and holds the box in any one position. Presumably the cheese could be pressed between the stool and the box and the latter would be loaded with stones or other weights exert the required amount of pressure. // Use: For pressing cheese. // There is some argument as to whether this is a cheese press or a linen press.’, The press was loaned to the Woodworm & Dry Rot Centre, 16 Dover Street, London, for an exhibition in November 1960.

1709-01-01

Press, cheese, Press, linen