Colne Valley Museum facts for kids
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Colne Valley Museum, Golcar
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| Established | 1887 |
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| Location | Cliffe Ash, Golcar, Huddersfield, HD7 4PY |
| Type | Textile, Crafts |
The Colne Valley Museum is a special place located in Golcar, Huddersfield, in West Yorkshire, England. It's found within the beautiful Colne Valley. This museum is made up of four old 19th-century cottages that used to be homes for weavers.
When you visit, you can discover what life was like for a weaver back in the 1850s. The museum has many interesting rooms. You can see a workshop where clogs (a type of shoe) were made. There's also a room with a handloom and a spinning jenny for making cloth. You can also explore a kitchen and living rooms from that time. The museum is run completely by amazing volunteers!
Contents
A Look Back: The Museum's History
The four cottages that now form the museum were built in the 1840s. They were built by James and Sally Pearson. They were independent cloth makers. The cottages were named 'Spring Rock'.
The buildings were cleverly built into a steep hillside. This meant they had two entrances. One entrance led to the lower rooms. Another entrance at the back led to the upper floor. In 1970, three of these cottages were turned into the museum we see today.
What You Can Explore at the Museum
The museum has several rooms that have been carefully restored. They look just like they did in the 1800s. These rooms also host special temporary exhibits.
Some of the main things you can always see include a real handloom. There's also a spinning jenny, which was a machine invented by James Hargreaves. It helped people spin yarn much faster. You can also visit a weaver's sitting room. Don't miss the 'gas-lit' clog maker's shop. It shows how clogs were made long ago.
Visiting the Museum
The Colne Valley Museum welcomes school groups. Children are even encouraged to dress up in old-fashioned clothes from the 1800s! These visits usually happen from Monday to Friday.
On some weekends, the museum opens its doors to everyone. The volunteer helpers put on amazing demonstrations. They show how different crafts were done in the 19th century. It's a great chance to see history come alive!
See also
- Colne Valley
- Golcar
