Kelham Island Industrial Museum, Sheffield (must see)
The Kelham Island Museum is an industrial museum located on a man-made island which was created in the 12th century. The island came to be as a result of the construction of a mill race (a small channel), which diverted water from the River Don to power a corn mill belonging to the Lord of the Manor. It was subsequently named after the Town Armorer, Kellam Homer, who owned a grinding workshop on the mill race, in 1637.
John Crowley's Iron Foundry was built on the site in 1829 and remained in operation until the 1890s when it was replaced by a power station, in 1899, to provide electricity for the new fleet of city trams. The power station operated until the 1930s when the building was used for storage and workshops. Together with Russell Works (incorporating the Hawley Gallery and the Crucible Shop), this property now serves as premises for the museum, established in 1982, housing the objects, pictures and archive material representing Sheffield's industrial story.
The displayed here exhibits include England's largest surviving Bessemer converter; the prototype Sheffield-Simplex car (one of only three left in the world); the Benjamin Huntsman Clock, the first manufactured object to contain Crucible Cast Steel (displayed in the Enid Hattersley Gallery); and more.
Part of the program are regular demonstrations of the 1905 River Don Engine, a 12,000 horsepower (9 MW) steam engine, which originally powered a local armor plate rolling mill and later rolled steel for nuclear reactors. It was last used in production in 1978, at the River Don Works.
The museum also houses reconstructed little workshops, such as that of Stan Shaw, a small-time craftsman, who worked there and demonstrated knife making to the public until his death in 2021. The onsite vast photographic archive is often used by authors for illustrating local history books.
The museum is free to enter.
John Crowley's Iron Foundry was built on the site in 1829 and remained in operation until the 1890s when it was replaced by a power station, in 1899, to provide electricity for the new fleet of city trams. The power station operated until the 1930s when the building was used for storage and workshops. Together with Russell Works (incorporating the Hawley Gallery and the Crucible Shop), this property now serves as premises for the museum, established in 1982, housing the objects, pictures and archive material representing Sheffield's industrial story.
The displayed here exhibits include England's largest surviving Bessemer converter; the prototype Sheffield-Simplex car (one of only three left in the world); the Benjamin Huntsman Clock, the first manufactured object to contain Crucible Cast Steel (displayed in the Enid Hattersley Gallery); and more.
Part of the program are regular demonstrations of the 1905 River Don Engine, a 12,000 horsepower (9 MW) steam engine, which originally powered a local armor plate rolling mill and later rolled steel for nuclear reactors. It was last used in production in 1978, at the River Don Works.
The museum also houses reconstructed little workshops, such as that of Stan Shaw, a small-time craftsman, who worked there and demonstrated knife making to the public until his death in 2021. The onsite vast photographic archive is often used by authors for illustrating local history books.
The museum is free to enter.
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Kelham Island Industrial Museum on Map
Sight Name: Kelham Island Industrial Museum
Sight Location: Sheffield, England (See walking tours in Sheffield)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Sheffield, England (See walking tours in Sheffield)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Sheffield, England
Create Your Own Walk in Sheffield
Creating your own self-guided walk in Sheffield is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Sheffield Introduction Walking Tour
Sheffield takes its name from the river Sheaf, which runs through the city. Field, of course, is an open space. The city sits at the confluence of the rivers Don and Sheaf. Don is the master stream. Its tributaries are the Loxely, Porter Brook, Rivelin, and Sheaf. There were settlements in this area as far back as 12,000 years ago.
After the Romans, settlements were Anglo-Saxon and Danish. With... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
After the Romans, settlements were Anglo-Saxon and Danish. With... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.7 Km or 1.1 Miles
Sheffield's Historical Buildings
Part of Sheffield鈥檚 great heritage is manifested in buildings. The presence of historical sites, some rather imposing like the Sheffield Town Hall and City Hall, presiding over the area, and the others like the Church of St Marie, somewhat hidden from view in a built-up neighbourhood, provides a colourful illustration of the city's glorious past.
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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Constructed over a time-span ranging from... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.9 Km or 1.8 Miles
Industrial Revolution Heritage Walking Tour
Steeped in history, the city of Sheffield is famed for its contribution to the Industrial Revolution, largely due to the development of stainless steel. Indeed, the 鈥淪teel City鈥� of the United Kingdom, it was internationally renowned as a major hub of steel manufacturing during the 19th century. So much so, in fact, that George Orwell once famously referred to it as 鈥渢he ugliest town in the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles