HERITAGE CENTRES
NORTH WEST ENGLAND
Link to Heritage Trust for the North West
CASTLEFIELD HERITAGE CENTRE
Tel: 0161 834 4026
Castlefield Centre, 101, Liverpool Road, Castlefield, Manchester
Castlefield is signposted from M602, M62, M61, M56 and all radial
routes serving Manchester City Centre.
Open: The Castlefield Urban Heritage Park is a public open space that is open all year round with no admission charge. Individual attractions and facilities within the site have varying opening times and admission charges. Visitor Centre open Monday - Friday 10.00 am - 4.00 pm. Weekends and Bank Holidays 12.00 pm - 4.00 pm. Closed between Christmas and New Year.
As Britain's first Urban Heritage Park, Castlefield played a major role in the development of the industrial world, being the site of Britains first man made canal, the first commercial railway and in it's hey day part of the World's greatest industrial city. The reconstructed Roman remains of the original settlement Mamucium, the Bridgewater Canal Basin and the massive Victorian railway viaducts form a historic backdrop for a modern day Castlefield. The Visitor Centre is a one stop destination for visitor information and orientation for all amenities and facilities within the Castlefield area. A selection of brochures, self guided trails, books and merchandise are available to compliment the changing displays and visitor facilities.
CORGI HERITAGE CENTRE
Tel: 01706 365812
53 York Street, Heywood, Rochdale
5 minutes from junction 19 and 20 of the M62 and junction 2 of the M66
Open: Mon, Tues,Wed, Thurs and Fri - 9.00 am - 5.30 pm - Sat - 9.00 am -
5.00 pm, Closed Tues and Sundays
Admission: FREE
The Heritage Centre offers you the chance to discover the fascinating history of Corgi die-cast model vehicles. It is a collector's heaven. It features the complete history of the Corgi company from its early days as Mettoy, set up just before World War 2, to the introduction of the Corgi name in the mid-1950's right up to the present day.
Tel: 01282 661702
Address: C/O Pendle Heritage Centre Barrowford Nelson Lancashire BB9 6JQ
Heysham Heritage Centre is in Heysham village, 5 miles (7km) west of
Lancaster, just off the A683. There is a public car park 100 metres
Open: Daily, 11am - 4pm Winter Opening - Sat/Sun 11 am - 4 pm
Admission: Free
Heysham Heritage Centre has been established jointly by HTNW with Heysham Heritage Association and Lancaster City Council. Run entirely by volunteers, the Centre acts as a focal point for visitors, with objects, photographs and child-friendly displays associated with this ancient settlement. Famous for the early Christian sites on the headland overlooking Morecambe Bay, Heysham has been inhabited for at least 6,000 years, with each successive generation leaving its mark above or below the soil. The 6th/7th century St Patrick's Chapel and nearby 'rock-cut graves' are among the earliest Christian sites in Lancashire. Nearby is St Peter's Church, with its substantial Anglo-Saxon and Viking remains. Part of the headland is now owned by the National Trust - their leaflet provides information about the natural history of one of only two clifftop sites in the county. A Village Trail takes visitors around the historic parts of the village, including the spot from which, in 1816, JMW Turner made his celebrated sketch of the Lakeland Fells. Both leaflets, as well as a children's discovery guide, are available from the Centre. There is disabled access to the ground floor displays and shop. Facilities A small shop stocks books and other items of local interest. Refreshments are available from one of several cafes nearby.
Tel: 01204 847797
Resource Centre, Longworth Road, Horwich, Bolton
Open: Monday to Friday 2-4 Saturday 10-12.30
Admission: Annual Membership Adult £8.50, Concessions £7.50 -
Free entry to monthly meetings (non-members £1.50) and a copy of our
bi-annual magazine.
The centre aims to preserve and present the best of the rich history and heritage of Horwich by featuring specific aspects of Horwich life over the last 100 years through videos, displays, artefacts and exhibits.
Tel: 01565 650506
Reach the Heritage Centre, through the alley on King St next to Jumpers - through the May Day Gate. A rear entrance is at Canute Square via the Red Cow yard.
Open: Mon-Sat 11 am - 4 pm.
Admission: Free
A reconstructed former smithy features displays and videos of the town's history. The traditional local May Day maypole dance is commemorated in a charming wrought-iron gate to the courtyard and a Green Man sculpture overlooks all. Separate gallery features changing exhibitions. A splendid mosaic depicting King Canute is set in the pavement nearby.
LITTLEBOROUGH COACH HOUSE & HERITAGE CENTRE
Tel: 01706 378481
Lodge Street, Littleborough
Open: Tues-Fri & Sun 2 pm - 4.30 pm, Sat 11 am - 4.30 pm. Closed Mon
A Grade II listed building of architectural and historical interest. Dating from the late 18th Century, it was originally built to serve the busy horse-drawn coach traffic on the main transport routes into Yorkshire across Blackstone Edge. The Centre provides a focus for visitors to the area with information on places to visit in the area. Cafe.
LYTHAM HERITAGE CENTRE
Tel: 01253 730787
Henry Street, Lytham
Open: Tuesday - Sunday 10.00 am - 4.00 pm
Admittance - Free
MACCLESFIELD HERITAGE CENTRE
Tel: 01625 613210
Roe Street, Macclesfield, Cheshire
The Heritage Centre is situated in the centre of Macclesfield and provides a focus for community and cultural events in the town. The building also houses, The Silk Museum, The Silk Shop, The Mulberry Tree Coffee Shop.
MOSSLEY INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE CENTRE
Tel: 01457 832813
Mossley Industrial Heritage Centre is situated in Longlands Mill, the home of Emmaus Mossley, on Queen Street, opposite Mossley railway station.
Open: Every day except Sun and Mon - 2 pm - 4 pm
The centre is very small but has a collection of old photographs for visitors to browse through as well as some artifacts from the town's history of cotton spinning. When Longlands Mill was opened it was part of one of the largest cotton production companies in the world. The centre was opened in an attempt to preserve a little of the town's cotton history. The baling machine in the centre is a preserved feature of the mill
PARK
BRIDGE HERITAGE CENTRE
Tel: 01706 356592
The Stables, Park Bridge, Ashton-under-Lyne
Open: May-Sept - Wed/Thurs 12-4 pm - Sat/Sun 11 am - 5 pm, BH 12 - 5 pm, Oct-April - Wed/Thurs 12-4 pm, Sat/Sun 10 am - 4 pm , BH 11 am - 4 pm
If you stroll into the Heritage Centre, housed in the old stables at Park Bridge, you will find exhibits which provide an insight into the industrial past of the area and an introduction to the wildlife which now roams the valley. Park Bridge was once a hive of industry with coal mines, a cotton mill and an iron rolling mill and forge. Raw materials were brought by canal or railway and moved around the site along a tramway. The Iron Works, supplying rollers for textile machinery, was createdby Samuel and Hannah Lees and their sons and grandsons. Their works operated for 180 years, employing 800 men and boys. They also built the local village which can still be seen today. The Medlock Valley Way, Tameside Trail and Oldham Way all pass through Park Bridge, as do numerous local foopaths.
Tel: 01282 6617012
Park Hill, Barrowford
1 mile from J13 or 14 of the M6 - Junction of the A682 - B6247
Open: Every day 10.00 - 5.00 pm
Admission: Museum: £3, Concessions & children £1.50. Garden
and Barn: £1.50, Concessions & children £1. Combined: £4,
concessions £2 Family (2adults+2children) £9.
Historic Farmhouse incorporating museum, art gallery, gift shop, tea-room, 18th Century walled garden, Cruck-barn with farmyard animals, and Tourist Information. The Museum includes a fascinating exhibition about 'Life in the 17th Century', the Bannister family who built the house, and the story of the Lancashire Witches and their trial in 1612 and their execution which is told in film. The 18th Century Walled Garden has been authentically restored and has a small museum with a film on 'A Year in the Garden'. The early Cruck-frame Barn with animals is perfect for children. The Garden Tea-room serves delicious home cooked fare with emphasis on Lancashire dishes, freshly baked cakes and much more. Groups by arrangement. Wheelchair available. Car park, including disabled parking. Pets welcome on leads.
Tel: 01706 821603
Carr Street, Ramsbottom
Interesting exhibitions giving a local insight into Ramsbottom's history.
Open: Weekends 1 pm - 4.30 pm
The new exhibition is now open to the public each weekend and a addition to the popular 'Great Grandma's Kitchen' which remains on display from previous exhibitions, there are displays relating pre-historic times. The centre piece focuses on a Bronze Age Cairn located at Whitelow, a mile or so to the east of the town. Other items on display include photographs of local events that have taken place over recent years. The centre also has a wide range of books on local history as well as there own publications which will appeal to anyone interested in exploring the locality.
SMITHY HERITAGE CENTRE
The Smithy is attached to the Village Hall at the end of Kiln Lane, close to the cross road with Milbrook Lane and Bleak Hill on the B5201 at St Helens
Open: from Easter from 1 pm until 4 pm Saturday and
Sunday.
Admittance: Free
The Smithy is based in an original Blacksmith's Forge on Kiln Lane that was still operating until the late 1970's. The Smithy has a FREE permanent exhibition or original artefacts that detail the heritage of Eccleston. Maps, photographs and documents relating to the area are available for casual browsing or more serious research. Discover the skills of the Farmer, the Blacksmith, the Wheelwright, the Farrier, and other local craftsmen. Amongst these displays are some of the original tools from the site that were used in the forge and the Wheelwright's shop. The Education Room is available for school groups and contains a display relating to Eccleston's Tudor history. Privalte Visits and Group Visits are also catered for. For the younger visitors, there are a number of hands-on interactive displays, including puzzles and costumes, seasonal craft events also bring the subjects to life. The Smithy Heritage Centre also host two temporary exhibitions per season, each lasting around three months. Past exhibitions have ranged from dinosaurs to Victorian home life, toys and games to archaeological finds. Email
Tel: 0151 233 2459
William Brown Street, Liverpool. L1 1JJ
Open: Tues-Sat 10 am-5 pm, Sun 1 pm - 5pm - Mon-Groups
by appointment only,
Admission: Free for heritage centre, small fee for audio trous
St George's Hall is widely regarded as a major work of European architecture and arguably, the finest neo-classical building in the world. The building is central to Liverpool's Cultural Quarter and a key part of the area nominated for World Heritage Site status. Take a virtual tour of St George's Hall here. The building was completed in 1855, however since 1984, only 25% of the building (Great Hall and associated ante rooms) has been used, with the other 75% gradually falling into a state of disrepair over the years. A flagship building in the heart of the city, St George's Hall makes a grand setting for any event.
STOCKPORT HERITAGE CENTRE
Tel: 0161 429 6564
In the vestry of St Mary's Church, Market Place, Stockport.
Open: Tues, Fri and Sat from 10.30 am to 4 pm.
Admission: Free
Look at the displays of interesting memorabilia relating to Stockport's past and present. A large number of old photos can be viewed and bought. Discover the fascinating history of Stockport, by looking in heritage books, at photographs and talking to the helpful trust volunteers.
THE OLD GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Tel: 0161 643 7442/2693
Boardshaw Road, Middleton, Manchester
Open: Tues-Thurs 2 pm - 4 pm
Admission: £1 donation requested
Thomas Langley, Chancellor of England was educated in Middleton. In 1412 he rebuilt the Parish Church and founded a charity school - the original foundation of the Grammar School. Completed in 1856 and now restored as a heritage centre.
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