Calverton Folk Museum

About the museum

Calverton Folk Museum occupies a four-roomed, Grade II listed cottage from the 18th century on Main Street, next to the Baptist church. It is a former stockinger's cottage, one of the few traditional village buildings that survived demolition, and it is dedicated to Victorian life in Calverton. The museum opened in 1974 and is owned by the Calverton Preservation and History Society.

The main theme is the village's link with framework knitting. According to local tradition William Lee, who lived in Calverton, invented the hand knitting frame in 1589, and a frameworker's knitting machine is on display. The cottage rooms are furnished as a Victorian kitchen, living room and bedroom, and the collection includes period furniture and clothing, fossils, tapestry pictures of village buildings and objects relating to coal mining, farming and education.

The museum is run by volunteers. It closed for more than two years because of coronavirus restrictions and the death of its keeper and reopened at the end of April 2023.

Highlights

• Four-roomed 18th-century stockinger's cottage
• Victorian kitchen, living room and bedroom
• Frameworker's knitting machine and the story of William Lee
• Period furniture, clothing and fossils
• Objects from local coal mining, farming and schools

Permanent exhibition

• Victorian cottage and framework knitting – Rooms furnished as a Victorian kitchen, living room and bedroom, with a frameworker's knitting machine, period furniture and clothing, fossils and local history objects.

Founded

1974

Operated by

Calverton Preservation and History Society

Admission & discounts

Listed admission is £2 for adults and 50p for children.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

No access information is published. The museum is in a small historic cottage; contact the society before visiting.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

Main Street, next to the Baptist church and close to the entrance drive to St Wilfrid's School.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit