Turner, one of our many occupational names, indicates that the resident of this cottage makes his living by producing "turned" objects on a lathe. Nowadays, many beautiful and decorative items are made in this way, but the old-time turner's ware, such as bowls and platters, were basically for everyday use.
   Their beauty was incidental and lay in their simplicity, and the richness of the grain which the turning revealed. The early wood-working turners chose to live in woodland areas where there was easy access to their material. Their primitive pole lathes were constructed from saplings, which could be bent to shape while remaining firmly in the ground. The lathe was operated by a simple cord and treadle.
   Our turner has moved from the early pole method. He uses a water wheel and leather belt to power his lathe. With the turner no longer dependent on the proximity of a forest for his equipment, he has moved away from the woodland areas and taken his craft into nearby towns and villages.