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Situated on Abbeydale Road South, just a five-minute walk from Millhouses Park, Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet is one of six free entry sites operated by Sheffield Museums. With its waterwheels, tilt forge and other uniquely preserved insights into the early steel industry and 18 and 19th century homelife, the picturesque Hamlet transports visitors back through the centuries.
With earliest records dating back to 1700s, Abbeydale Works was once a producer of agricultural tools and the largest water-powered industrial site on the River Sheaf. In 1935, the site was purchased for the city by the J G Graves Trust and Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet opened as a museum in 1970. Today, the Hamlet it represents a significant group of preserved Grade I and Grade II listed buildings and a Scheduled Ancient Monument, offering a fascinating window into Sheffield’s steelmaking past.
A major grant from National Lottery Heritage Fund, alongside further support from Sheffield City Council and the J G Graves Charitable Trust, will begin an exciting new chapter in the Hamlet’s remarkable story.
© Ian M Spooner
© Ian M Spooner
Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet is a real jewel in Sheffield’s heritage crown and this vital funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund will see it shine. The Hamlet offers an unparalleled opportunity to celebrate the city’s making history, provide an immersive visitor experience and deliver a fantastic resource embedded in the local community. We’re delighted to have received this support thanks to players of the National Lottery, and to Sheffield City Council and the J G Graves Charitable Trust.Kim Streets, Chief Executive at Sheffield Museums
The funding will see work begin on a number of improvements taking place over the next two years, including:
Development work beginning in late summer 2024, including:
In the coming months, work will also begin on repairs to the Hamlet’s historic dam. The remedial work, which will provide substantial repairs to the fabric of the dam, will be carried out by Sheffield City Council, in consultation with the Environment Agency, Historic England and Sheffield Museums.
© Andy Brown
© Andy Brown
We are delighted to support Sheffield Museums with this important project at Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet which connects local people and those from further afield with the rich industrial heritage of Sheffield. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, this exciting project will revitalise the unique spaces of the hamlet and help bring the stories of its amazing history to life.Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund
As the project progresses there will be lots of ways for you to get involved, from volunteering opportunities to sharing your feedback on the changes create the best possible experience for visitors.
Check back here for updates on how you can participate.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage. Using money raised by National Lottery players we support projects that connect people and communities to heritage. Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. From historic buildings, our industrial legacy and the natural environment, to collections, traditions, stories and more. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.
Sheffield Museums is a charity. Your support helps keep your museums open and free for everyone to enjoy.
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