Clitheroe Castle Museum facts for kids
Clitheroe Castle Museum in 2007
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The Clitheroe Castle Museum is a cool place in Clitheroe, England. It's inside an old house called the Steward's House. This building was built a long time ago, in the 1700s! It used to be home to the person who looked after Clitheroe Castle. Today, it's a museum that tells you all about the history of the area around Clitheroe.
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Museum History
The museum first opened its doors in 1954. It had a big makeover in 2009, costing £3.5 million! Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester officially opened it again. As part of the changes, a cafe and shop were added. There is also a special area for exhibitions.
In 2009, VisitEngland said the museum was a "Quality Assured Visitor Attraction." This means it's a great place to visit! The museum is owned by the local council, but Lancashire County Council helps run it. You can find the museum below the castle's main tower. Adults pay to get in, but the castle grounds are free for everyone to explore.
Inside the Steward's House, you can still see some of the original features. These include old gas lights, bells for servants, and fireplaces.
What You Can See
The museum has lots of interesting displays. You can learn about the rocks and land (geology) and the animals and plants (natural history) of the area. There are also exhibits about the history of Clitheroe Castle and the town itself. You can even discover local stories and how people used to live in Clitheroe.
Two special rooms show what life was like in the past. "The Collector's Study" is set up like a room where a local collector, Frank B. Mitchell, would have worked. He was one of the people who helped start the museum! There's also a "Victorian Kitchen" that shows how kitchens looked in the 1800s.
The museum also has cool items like the Mitton Hoard. This is a collection of old treasures found nearby. For a while, the North West Sound Archive was located here. This archive collected old recordings and sounds.
Art at the Museum
The museum displays several paintings that show local scenes and important people.
Riverside Views
You can see three small paintings of riversides and a special family crest.
- Boating at Brungerley by Benjamin Satterthwaite (1848–1923). This painting shows three people in a boat on the River Ribble. They are near Brungerley Bridge, which is an old stone bridge built around 1814. Satterthwaite painted many local scenes.
- Mytton Flatt and River by F.C. Cawthorne. This painting also shows the River Ribble, possibly near Great Mitton. You can see a church in the background that looks like All Hallows Church, Great Mitton.
- A Man Fishing on a River. This painting is thought to be by Edward Cawthorne (1849–1914). It shows a man fishing by a river, probably the River Ribble near Clitheroe. A church tower can be seen in the background.
- An armorial hatchment that belonged to General Monk (1608–1670). A hatchment is a special panel with a family's coat of arms. It used to be hung on a building to let people know that someone important had died. General Monk was a soldier who fought in the English Civil War.
Wildlife Art
There is also a painting of a game bird by the artist William Woodhouse from Morecambe.
- Grouse Shot in Flight by William Woodhouse (1857–1939). This painting shows a grouse bird in the air. Woodhouse was born near Morecambe and was very good at painting animals, especially horses and dogs. He often painted scenes of hunting and game birds. He even showed his paintings at the famous Royal Academy in London.
Important People of Clitheroe
- Further information: List of mills in Clitheroe
The museum has two portraits by an unknown artist. They show a former Mayor of Clitheroe and his wife.
- James Thomson. This painting shows James Thomson (1779–1850).
- Cecilia Thomson. This painting shows Cecilia Thomson, James's wife.
James Thomson was born in Blackburn. He was a clever chemist who worked with fabrics. In 1810, he started a very successful business in Clitheroe that printed patterns on fabric called Calico printing. His company made hundreds of different fabric patterns each year! James Thomson was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1821, which is a big honor for scientists. He was also the Mayor of Clitheroe from 1836 to 1837. He passed away in 1850 while getting ready for a huge exhibition called the Great Exhibition of 1851.
