National Wool Museum facts for kids
National Wool Museum
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Established | 1976 |
|---|---|
| Location | Drefach Felindre, Llandysul, Carmarthenshire, Wales |
| Type | Industry museum |
The National Wool Museum is a cool place in Drefach Felindre, a village in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It's part of a bigger group called Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales, which looks after many museums in Wales. This museum tells the amazing story of how wool was made and used in Wales.
Contents
The Story of Wool in Wales
Long ago, and even up to the 1800s, making things from wool was super important in Wales. It was even more important than coal mining! People would spin wool into yarn and weave it into cloth. The area around the River Teifi was like the heart of this wool industry in West Wales. It was so famous for wool that people called it "The Huddersfield of Wales," after a big textile town in England.
Cambrian Mills: A Busy Factory
In 1902, a man named David Lewis built Cambrian Mills. He built it where a smaller workshop, powered by water, used to be. The new mill was made to produce woollen cloth for working men. These men worked in the coal and steel industries.
Life at the Mill
By 1915, about 100 people worked at Cambrian Mills. They made a soft fabric called flannel. This flannel was used to make military uniforms during World War I.
A Fire and a Rebuild
In 1919, a fire started in the mill's spinning area. The fire caused a lot of damage, costing about £20,000. One worker on the top floor had a very close call. Flames and smoke blocked his way out. He climbed onto the roof and was saved with a long ladder. Even though fewer people were buying woollen clothes, the mill was rebuilt after the fire.
From Mill to Museum
By 1965, the mill was put up for sale. At that time, 30 people worked there. In 1976, the mill opened its doors to the public as the National Wool Museum.
What You'll Find at the Museum
Both the old mill building and the village of Drefach Felindre are important heritage sites. The museum first opened in 1976 as the Museum of the Welsh Woollen Industry. It closed for two years for a big update. In March 2004, it reopened as the National Wool Museum. This update cost £2 million, with some money from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Exploring the Exhibits
The museum now has a cool glass-roofed courtyard. There's also a new gallery that shows off many different textiles. You can see old weaving machines that were used long ago. A special walkway lets you watch textiles being made at Melin Teifi. This is a real woollen mill that still works today.
Learning and Discovery
In 2005, a Research and Collections Centre opened at the museum. It has a special room where you can get hands-on and learn about wool. The museum's renovation was part of a bigger plan for museums in Wales. This plan also helped other museums like the National Slate Museum and Big Pit National Coal Museum. It also helped create the new National Waterfront Museum in Swansea.
