Barometer World is the world's only

barometer A barometer is a scientific instrument that is used to measure air pressure in a certain environment. Pressure tendency can forecast short term changes in the weather. Many measurements of air pressure are used within surface weather analysis ...

museum, and is located in the village of Merton, near

Great Torrington Great Torrington (often abbreviated to Torrington, though the villages of Little Torrington and Black Torrington are situated in the same region) is a market town in Devon, England. Parts of it are sited on high ground with steep drops down to ...

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...

, England. Barometer World makes, sells and restores

barometers A barometer is a scientific instrument that is used to measure air pressure in a certain environment. Pressure tendency can forecast short term changes in the weather. Many measurements of air pressure are used within surface weather analysis ...

of a variety of types. It was established in 1979 by Philip Collins.

History

In 1987 Barometer World moved from The Old Smithy in Merton to its current location at Quicksilver Barn. An exhibition of barometers was opened by Peter Negretti in 1990 and replaced by a new one now on display, the current premises comprises a shop, workshop, and the exhibition. Visitors are advised to e-mail or phone before turning up. The museum's curator is Philip Collins. He started learning the craft of barometer repair in Bideford at the age of 19, and in 1979 established a barometer specialist company. He is an author of barometer books having written numerous books on

and restoration techniques. Mr Collins is the secretary of the British Barometer Makers Association and was a Fellow of the

Royal Meteorological Society The Royal Meteorological Society is a long-established institution that promotes academic and public engagement in weather and climate science. Fellows of the Society must possess relevant qualifications, but Associate Fellows can be lay enthus ...

Exhibition

The museum's main exhibition is a small display of different types of barometers and other weather forecasting items from examples of primitive weather indicators, a snorting barometer, a mining barometer, Fitzroy barometers and others to oddities such as a shark oil predictor and

weather house A weather house is a folk art device in the shape of a small German or Alpine chalet that indicates the weather. A typical weather house has two doors side by side. The left side has a girl or woman, the right side a boy or man. The female fig ...

s. The museum houses a full size replica of Merryweather's

Tempest Prognosticator The tempest prognosticator, also known as the leech barometer, is a 19th-century invention by George Merryweather in which leeches are used in a barometer. The twelve leeches are kept in small bottles inside the device; when they become agitat ...

which was shown at the Great Exhibition in 1851. It is a fully workable copy, although the museum rarely operates it on a regular basis. Between 1995 and 2005 Barometer World housed the Banfield Family Collection of barometers. The exhibition was of 350 barometers, mostly owned by Edwin Banfield, which were loaned to Barometer World for a 10-year period. The collection has subsequently been separated and sold. For

National Science Week Science Week (sometimes National Science Week) refers to series of science-related events for the general public which are held in a specific countries during a designated week of the year. The aim of such science weeks is to engage and inspire pe ...

2000, Barometer World reconstructed

Magdeburg Hemispheres The Magdeburg hemispheres are a pair of large copper hemispheres, with mating rims. They were used to demonstrate the power of atmospheric pressure. When the rims were sealed with grease and the air was pumped out, the sphere contained a vacuum a ...

in a demonstration on Great Torrington common. The demonstration used 16

shire horse The Shire is a British breed of draught horse. It is usually black, bay, or grey. It is a tall breed, and Shires have at various times held world records both for the largest horse and for the tallest horse. The Shire has a great capacity for ...

s and 24-inch-diameter hemispheres. On rare occasions Barometer World have staged special displays of the power of the atmosphere with a model of Brunel's 'atmospheric railway' tug of air and weighing the atmosphere.

Workshop

The museum has an on-site workshop where barometers can be made or repaired. However, since October 2009 the EU regulations resulting in the ban on using mercury, no new mercury barometers can be placed on the market. This has resulted in the workshop reducing its output, customers need to contact them before bringing any item. A replica glass kiln was made in 2001 as an experiment in 17th century glass production methods, it has since be removed. The kiln was built to 17th century designs, with a double fire box and double drawing points. The structure is built of two walls of modern building bricks, the inner layer on top of a layer of firebricks. The gap between the layers is filled with vermiculite and the outside is coated with a layer of lime-based daub and painted. Temperatures achieved from wood firing only are around 1300 degrees Celsius. Lead glass cullet from the nearby Dartington Crystal is generally used for experimenting when the kiln is fired.

References

External links

Barometer World Website

Baros Books Website
{{coords, 50.8911, -4.0923, display=title Pressure gauges Organizations established in 1979 Companies based in Devon Museums in Devon Science museums in England