Category: Industrial heritage

AIA Grant & Award Deadlines for 2026

AIA Grant & Award Deadlines for 2026

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The Association for Industrial Archaeology have a variety of grants and awards for industrial archaeology and heritage available for 2026. These are to encourage improved standards of recording, research, conservation, and publication within the sector. 

The grants support industrial heritage and archaeology conservation projects in the UK, and research projects on industrial archaeology. They are open to non-members as well as members of the Association.

The awards are presented to an individual or groups who have made a significant contribution to industrial archaeology, for example in research, publication, recording or conservation. The awards attract local and national publicity, and the recipients are encouraged to publish their projects. Most awards have cash prizes and are usually presented annually at the AIA Conference, at which winners will be encouraged to talk about their work and present posters or displays on it if appropriate.

The deadline for the following categories is 31st January 2026 (more details in the links):

The AIA also offer Restoration Grants of up to £20,000. The deadline for these is the 31st March. More details in the link below:

Midland Mills Group Talk by Millwright Paul Selwood, 9 December 2025

Midland Mills Group Talk by Millwright Paul Selwood, 9 December 2025

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The Midlands Mills Group is hosting a free online talk on 9 December 2025 by Millwright Paul Sellwood. He will be discussing his work as a millwright. Paul and his firm have been involved in many wind and water mill projects over the years, most recently in the Midlands, putting up the sails on Chesterton Windmill.

The Midland Mills Group invites anyone interested to join the event. The link and other relevant details are:

Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82695842305?pwd=ow7Zl6VSluVpuh2AgPzHJajDT14Bw2.1

Meeting ID: 826 9584 2305 Passcode: 728071

Chesterton Windmill undergoing repairs. Image courtesy of SPAB.

Stroudwater Textile Trust is Looking for Guides, Demonstrators, and Welcomers

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The Stroudwater Textile Trust are looking for volunteers at their two museums near Stroud. There are many ways of getting involved in volunteering with the Stroudwater Textile Trust. From welcoming visitors to their mills to sparing a few hours to work at home or to help restore historic machine, your support is really important to the Trust, and you will find volunteering both enjoyable and rewarding.

The Trust offers training in using both hand looms and power looms, as well as wider training. The museums are open from April to September on weekends and occasional weekdays. Information about the Trust is on our website, or e-mail chair@stroudtextiletrust.org.uk.

To get involved follow this link: https://www.stroudtextiletrust.org.uk/volunteering/

The Stroudwater Textile Trust is a Registered Charity run entirely by volunteers. The Trust was established in 1999 by local people wanting to promote awareness of the historic woollen industry in the Stroud valleys, to preserve some of its important machinery and to celebrate contemporary textiles. The Trust runs a fully-accredited museum at Dunkirk Mill in Nailsworth with a working waterwheel, and also a weaving shed at Gigg Mill nearby, which has a recently-restored vintage power loom. We also arrange visits to St Mary’s Mill in Chalford from time to time, where there is a Tangye steam engine. Dunkirk Mill and Gigg Mill are open regularly through the spring and summer months.

Volunteers at Stroudwater Textile Trust. Image courtesy of Stroudwater Textile Trust.

Friends of Chain Bridge Forge Launch Crowd-Funding Appeal to Teach Teenagers Blacksmithing Skills Using VR

Friends of Chain Bridge Forge Launch Crowd-Funding Appeal to Teach Teenagers Blacksmithing Skills Using VR

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The Friends of Chain Bridge Forge have lunched a crowd-funding appeal to teach traditional Blacksmithing to young individuals aged 13-16, blending heritage craftsmanship with cutting-edge virtual innovation. Through collaboration with the National Saturday Club, and led by experienced Blacksmith Ryan Atkin, participants will develop foundational skills in metalwork and have the chance to craft unique handmade items.

This new project follows on from 2024’s successful National Saturday Club, where Chain Bridge Forge trained young people in blacksmithing. To donate to the new VR project follow this link: https://www.spacehive.com/forging-futures-skills–vr-fusion.

Chain Bridge Forge is a short walk from Spalding town centre, alongside the Welland river and is open for bespoke commissions or blacksmithing workshops. The Forge has its origins in the mid-1700s, but the current building was constructed in the early nineteenth century. In the 1980s, nearing retirement and with the building in a poor state of repair, the then blacksmith, Mr Dodd, approached the South Holland District Council (SHDC) to take on the forge. After two years of discussions the site was purchased from him by SHDC for the nominal fee of £1, on September 20th 1988. In 2011 The Friends of Chain Bridge Forge were formed and took over the Forge on a 25 year lease. The Heritage Lottery Fund subsequently awarded the Forge £50,000 to restore the site and make it accessible, which opened in 2012. This award was followed by a further £10,000 to record the history of the community.

Follow this link for more news about the forge: https://chainbridgeforge.co.uk/

Teenagers being taught balcksmithing skills. Image courtesy of Friends of Chain Bridge Forge.
Foxton Canal Museum Launches Crowding Funding Campaign to Secure the Future of the Site

Foxton Canal Museum Launches Crowding Funding Campaign to Secure the Future of the Site

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The Trustees of the Foxton Inclined Plane Trust have launched an urgent crowdfunding appeal to raise £20,000 by February so that the museum and site can open in 2026. A combination of rising costs, the long-term impact of COVID-19, and recent operational challenges—including lock closures that reduced visitor numbers this year—has left the Foxton Canal Museum, the beating heart of Foxton Locks and a vital guardian of Britain’s canal heritage, under threat. As a consequence, income has not kept pace with escalating expenses, making sustainability increasingly difficult.

The Museum tells the story of the Foxton Inclined Plane – a Victorian engineering marvel and a scheduled monument – and the people who shaped our waterways. Since its founding by the Foxton Inclined Plane Trust in 1982, the Museum has grown from a volunteer-led dream into a nationally recognized institution. It has hosted award-winning exhibitions, educational programs, and community events, becoming a hub for history, creativity, and learning.

From its humble beginnings – volunteers clearing overgrown inclines and rebuilding the boiler house – to achieving official museum status and welcoming thousands of visitors annually, Foxton Canal Museum has always been powered by passion and perseverance. Recent projects include Foxton Creates, a co-curated exhibition with local schools, and Ingenuity & Vision, exploring the 1950 Market Harborough Festival & Rally of Boats. The Museum also runs STEM workshops, artist residencies, and oral history projects, ensuring canal heritage remains relevant for future generations.

However, the Museum faces mounting financial pressure and without urgent support the Museum cannot guarantee opening in 2026.

To contribute to the Crowdfunding Appeal, and for more information about the site and the campaign to secure its future, follow this Link: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-foxton-canal-museum

North East Industrial Heritage Network Meeting, 9 December, Now Booking

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The next in-person North East Industrial Heritage Network meeting will be held at Hopetown Museum, Darlington, on Tuesday 9th December 2025, from 11am to 1pm. This will be followed, after lunch (there is a cafe on site), by a tour of the site (2pm to 3pm). The themes for the 2025-26 IHN meetings are conservation and maintenance.

All IHN members and friends are very welcome to attend. To book a free place follow this link:

Register on Eventbrite

Hopetown Musuejm encompasses the original North Road Station in Darlingotn, which opened in 1842 on the route of the Stockton & Darlington Railway. The listed station was purchased in the 1970s by a consortium consisting of the local council and tourist board, Darlington museum’s service and local businesses. It was transformed into a railway museum, the North Road Station Museum, which opend in 1975. The museum was refurbished in 2007, and reopened in 2008 as the Head of Steam – Darlington Railway Museum. After securing £35 million of funding, between 2022 and 2024 the museum, and surrounding heritage buildings across 7.5 acres, were transformed into a brand new visitor attraction, Hopetown Darlington. The name takes inspiration from the old Hopetown foundry works associated with the railways.

The station at Hopetown, Darlington. Image courtesy of Historic England.

Historic England Technical Tuesday Webinar: Chain Bridge Conservation, 25 November & 9 December

Historic England Technical Tuesday Webinar: Chain Bridge Conservation, 25 November & 9 December

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Historic England’s next free Technical Tuesday: Technical Conservation Webinar takes place tomorrow, 25 November, from 1300 – 1400 looking at the historical and technical challenges associated with the refurbishment of the Union Chain Bridge. To book follow this link: https://historicengland.org.uk/education/training-skills/training/webinars/technical-tuesdays/.

Opened in 1820 and listed Grade I (https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1042214), the Chain Bridge is the world’s oldest vehicular bridge and connects England and Scotland spanning the River Tweed. A second webinar dealing with the refurbishment scheme will be held on the 9 December 2025.

Union Chain Bridge, spanning the River Tweed. Copright Leon Walsh.
Museum of Carpet, Kidderminster, Latest Industrial Site to Close in 2025

Museum of Carpet, Kidderminster, Latest Industrial Site to Close in 2025

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The Museum of Carpet in Kidderminster has announced that it will close on the 20th December 2025. The announcement earlier this month by the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Carpet Museum Trust, adds another industrial heritage site in England to the closure list for 2025. For the Museum of Carpet, this was the culmination of a several years of rising energy prices, maintenance costs, loss of tenants, and reduced footfall.

The Kidderminster carpet museum is the latest industrial site to announce its closure in 2025. Other museums and heritage sites to close this year, or announce imminent closure, include Alford Windmill, Cannock Chase Mining Museum, Castleton Museum, Otterburne Textile Mill, and the Walsall Leather Museum.

The full closure statement from the Museum of Carpet is below:

“It is with deep regret that the Carpet Museum Trust announces the closure of the Museum of Carpet, Stour Vale Mill, Kidderminster, on the 20th December 2025. After 13 years serving the public as a centre of learning, culture and heritage the museum has, like many similar institutions, faced significant financial challenges in recent years.

Despite the dedication of staff, volunteers, Friends, Trustees, Corporate Partners and supporters the combination of rising energy prices, maintenance costs, loss of tenants and reduced footfall have made it unsustainable to continue operations at its present site. Efforts to secure additional long term funding have been explored extensively with the help of Museums Development Midlands and the Arts Council. Unfortunately, no sustainable solutions have been found to overcome these financial challenges.

The Carpet Museum Trust, will continue to be responsible for the management of its archives, displays and collections. Arrangements are being made to preserve and relocate the Museum’s collection for future generations as necessary and they will be made public once details are finalized .In the meantime access to these collections and archive will remain a priority for the Trust – please make enquiries via email to collections@museumofcarpet.org.uk

If you feel you are able to help or assist in any way please get in touch with me as below. In the meantime up to December 20th we hope that the people of Kidderminster and Wyre Forest will take the opportunity to show their support and appreciation of what we have accomplished by visiting us along with their families.

Geoffrey Gilbert.

Chair of the Board of Trustees, Carpet Museum Trust

Email. gilberga51@gmail.com”

Kidderminster Museum of Carpet staff, volunteers, and weaving machine. Image coursey of Museum of Carpet.

South Wales & West England Regional Industrial Archaeology Conference (SWWERIAC) Announced for April 2026

South Wales & West England Regional Industrial Archaeology Conference (SWWERIAC) Announced for April 2026

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The Worcestershire Industrial Archaeology & Local History Society is hosting the South Wales & West England Regional Industrial Archaeology Conference (SWWERIAC) on Saturday 18th April 2026 at Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings, Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove B60 4JR.

Get set for a day of engaging talks from leading speakers and a chance to explore Avoncroft’s remarkable open-air collection. The museum, home to over 30 rescued and reconstructed historic buildings spanning seven centuries, provides a unique backdrop. Highlights include the UK’s National Collection of Telephone Kiosks, working historic windmill, and a selection of timber-framed, brick, and prefabricated structures including a chain shop, nail workshop, sawmill, and icehouse. This inspiring setting promises a rich blend of learning, discussion, and heritage discovery.

Tickets cost £28 per person and include access to the museum’s entire collection, 30-minute dedicated tours, a buffet lunch including cold meats, new potatoes, crusty bread, and a selection of salads and cheese with unlimited hot and cold soft drinks plus free parking.

Society chairman Dr John Beale said “Avoncroft is home to 30 historic buildings and structures across a 19-acre site. For this reason, we have scheduled a 2-hour lunch break so that delegates can see the museum exhibits either self-guided and/or the dedicated tours of the 19th century windmill and the National Telephone Kiosk Collection. This marks a departure from the traditional arrangement of offsite visits as there is so much to see at Avoncroft.”

Get your tickets by completing an online or Microsoft Word booking form available at
https://wialhs.org.uk/swweriac2026/ or contact conference@wialhs.org.uk

Part of Avoncroft’s National Collection of phone boxes. Image corutesy of Avoncroft Musuem of Historic Buildings.
The Industrial Sites Saved as Historic England Publishes 2025 Heritage At Risk Register

The Industrial Sites Saved as Historic England Publishes 2025 Heritage At Risk Register

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Historic England has published the 2025 Heritage at Risk Register. There are 4,891 entries on the Register which covers archaeology, battlefields, buildings and structures, conservation areas, parks and gardens, places of worship, and wrecks. This year, 129 buildings and gardens were taken off the list for positive reasons such as grant funding and/or being repaired. However, 138 were added. 12 of the sites taken off the register are industrial structures.

Claudia Kenyatta CBE and Emma Squire CBE, Co-CEOs of Historic England, said: “The heritage we see all around us impacts how we feel about our local places. The annual Heritage at Risk Register gives us the opportunity to celebrate the many benefits of bringing our historic buildings back into use.”

“The best way to protect our buildings is to reuse them, turning them into places of local connection and joy. The sites that have been saved and have come off the Register this year really highlight the benefits of working together in partnership, and with communities, to create positive, sustainable change. Together we can safeguard our heritage for future generations.”

Industrial sites removed from the ‘At Risk Register’ include:

  • Augill Smelting Mill, North Pennines
  • Bower Spring cementation furnace, Sheffield
  • Etherley Incline, Stockton & Darlington Railway, County Durham 
  • No. 7 Bottle Shop, St Helens
  • Long Shop Museum, Leiston
  • John Taylor & Co Bell Foundry, Loughborough
  • Kingston Telephone Exchange, Ashdown Road, Kingston upon Thames
  • Newland Blast Furnace (Blacking Mill only) in Egton with Newland
  • Papplewick Pumping Station, Nottingham
  • Rockingham Kiln (Swinton Pottery), South Yorkshire
  • Temple Works Gatelodge, Leeds
  • The Triangular Crane and Bumble Hole Boat Yard in Netherton

Industrial sites added to the ‘At Risk Register’ include:

  • Cromford Mills Buildings 26 and 21 (cottages)
  • Teesside Transporter Bridge 

The full updated list for 2025 can be found here: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/heritage-at-risk/findings/

Guidance on adding a site to the Herrtitage At Risk Register can be found here: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/heritage-at-risk/suggest-addition-to-har-register/

The Rockingham Kiln (Swinton Pottery), South Yorkshire, has been removed from the ‘At Risk Register’ in 2025. Image courtesy of Historic England.
The Teesside Transporter Bridge was added to the ‘At Risk Register’ in 2025. Image courtesy of Historic England.