Discover the story of a Yorkshire community
on the Lancashire side of the Pennines. Saddleworth is an area - an
old Yorkshire parish with its own distinct identity - made up of villages
such as Delph, Diggle, Dobcross, Denshaw, Greenfield, and Uppermill
where you will find the museum.
Saddleworth Museum and Art Gallery is full of intriguing objects from
the past and tells the story of the people who have created Saddleworth's
landscape and character:
- the prehistoric Summer visitors who hunted on the hill tops;
- the farmers who scraped a living from the hills by weaving cloth in
their homes;
- the men, women and children who endured long hours in the woollen
mills;
- the brass bands who fill the Saddleworth air with music;
- the soldiers who shivered on duty at Castleshaw Roman Fort;
- the men who tunnelled through the Pennines to take the canal and railway
eastwards;
- the Morris Men carrying on the old tradition of rushcart building;
- the Diggle coal merchant and his family whose story brings to life
Victorian Saddleworth.
There is something to appeal to everyone at Saddleworth Museum and Art
Gallery. Fill your visit with discovery by borrowing a Family Box with
lots of things to do and touch. Get to grips with history in our hands-on
Activity Area for children of all ages.
Exhibitions of paintings, photography and textiles in the Art Gallery
change every few weeks. And we create new displays highlighting different
aspects of Saddleworth's history three or more times a year. You can
see, hear and smell the textile machinery in action on our special Working
Days, when you can talk to our volunteers about life and work in the
mills. And there are demonstrations of crafts, behind the scenes days
and other events throughout the year.
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Portland Basin Museum is the centrepiece
of the recently rebuilt Ashton Canal Warehouse, now looking much as
it did in 1834 when it was first built. Here you can walk back in time
to learn about Tameside's history, and experience for yourself the lifestyle,
industries, crafts and trades of previous generations. In its peaceful
waterside setting, Portland Basin provides the perfect day out. Take
a walk down our 1920's Tameside street, and discover just how times
have changed! Call at the Bridge Inn, meet the neighbours, and skip
in the school playground. Chat in the chippie, pop into the grocer's,
visit the doctor, and hock the family silver! Discover the history of
Tameside's crafts and trades blacksmithing, clogmaking, printing, drystone
walling and canal art. Learn about Tameside's industries mining, glassmaking,
agriculture, hatting, gloving, textiles and the canals. Find out about
people's lifestyles. See what drew people to Tameside, how they spent
their leisure time, the communities they created, and their religions.
Our hands-on approach enables visitors and school groups to learn about
Tameside's history through interactive displays and exhibits. (Live
interpreters and demonstrations on special occasions - please ring for
details) A large range of entertaining and informative publications,
postcards, toys and souvenirs are on sale in the shop. |
