Digging deeper – ploughs

Discover our plough collection

Explore what a plough is and what it does, as well as the science, technical details and rich personal stories linked to their use and manufacture.

Ploughs have been used by humans for millennia to cultivate soil before sowing seeds or planting. The Museum of English Rural Life holds a carefully selected collection of 39 mostly horse-drawn ploughs that represent the variety and development of this most important agricultural implement.