A CHEESE press made in Mark has been selected as one of the ten objects to tell the history of Somerset and its place in the world.

The press, on display at the Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury, was made in the Sedgemoor village at the famous foundry of Albert Day. It has now been picked alongside works such as a portrait of First World War soldier Harry Patch, a Westland Lynx helicopter and cricketer Joel Garner’s boot as one of the best story-telling objects in the county.

The ten-strong list, picked by Somerset County Council’s museum service, will now feature in the nationwide BBC programme, A History of the World.

Stephen Minnitt, Somerset County Council’s head of museums, said: “It has been quite a challenge to select just ten objects to represent Somerset. All the objects have an intriguing tale to tell and it really helps to bring history to life.

“The project is a great opportunity to give a different slant on the world’s history.”

Cheese presses were used during the final stage of cheese production when the last drop of liquid was squeezed from the curd. The press is a symbol of the modernisation of cheese making that took place in the later 1800s.

The History of the World project has been formed out of a partnership between the BBC, the British Museum and 350 museums and institutions across the country.