Framework Knitters Museum
A restored Victorian framework knitters’ yard in Ruddington, where original knitting frames are shown at work in a living history museum.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Framework Knitters Museum stands on a surviving 19th-century knitters’ yard in the Nottinghamshire village of Ruddington. Framework knitting, the hand-powered making of stockings and other knitted goods on a wooden frame, was the main trade of many East Midlands villages for some 400 years, and the museum tells that story from the Industrial Revolution to the Luddite riots and the origins of the Nottingham lace industry.
The group of buildings around a garden began in the early 19th century as cottages and workshops. After a long decline in the trade, the yard was saved by the local community in 1971 and restored as a museum. Visitors can see furnished cottages that show how a framework knitter and the yard owner lived, and a preserved frame shop in which original knitting frames are demonstrated.
The collection includes hosiery and related items, among them a pair of stockings said to have belonged to Queen Victoria. Visitors can also knit their own souvenir on a vintage Griswold knitting machine. Parker’s Yard, on the same site, has a cafe, a shop and a gallery in the former chapel, and the museum is run as a charitable trust.
Highlights
- Original knitting frames demonstrated in a preserved frame shop
- Furnished cottages showing Victorian living and working conditions
- A pair of stockings said to have belonged to Queen Victoria
- Knit a souvenir on a vintage Griswold machine
- Parker’s Yard cafe, shop and Chapel Gallery
Permanent exhibition
- Victorian framework knitters’ yard – Furnished cottages and a frame shop with original knitting frames in operation, showing how framework knitters and their families lived and worked.
- Founded
- 1971
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £9 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | £3free up to age 4 · Children aged 5 to 17 pay £3 with a paying adult; under-5s are free with a paying adult. |
| Visitors with disabilities | –companion free · Carers accompanying visitors with disabilities are admitted free. |
| Students & apprentices | £6Students aged 18 or over in full-time education. |
| Groups (8+ people) | £10.50 per personGroups of 8 to 30 people; the same rate applies outside opening hours with a £100 minimum charge per group. |
| Families | £22Two adults and two children. |
| Art Fund member (half price) | £4.50 |
| Returning annual pass holder or Friend of the Museum | freeFree entry. |
An adult ticket also works as an annual pass, which gives free return visits; Gift Aid is optional. Teachers visiting to prepare a school trip enter free. Parker’s Yard Cafe, the shop and the Chapel Gallery can be entered without a ticket.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: not available
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
All ground-floor rooms in the museum, Chapel Gallery and Parker’s Yard can be used by wheelchair users. Upper floors may not be accessible because the buildings are small and historic, and a photo album of the upstairs bedrooms is available. An accessible toilet with baby change is in Parker’s Yard. Wheelchairs and walkers can be borrowed free from Ruddington Parish Council on Church Street. There are no designated disabled parking spaces, but visitors can be dropped off outside the museum. Assistance dogs are welcome throughout. Braille price lists and Braille visitor guides are available, sensory backpacks can be borrowed, and a sensory map, access guide, video access guide and 360-degree virtual tour are available online. Some audio interpretation can be switched off on request.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 4 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | £22 · Two adults and two children. |
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
- Baby changing facilities
The museum runs activities and events for families and school groups, and children can knit their own souvenir on a vintage Griswold machine. Sensory backpacks can be borrowed and baby changing is available in Parker’s Yard.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
The Green, Ruddington
Nottingham City Transport buses 9 and 10 run from Nottingham (Victoria Centre, Parliament Street, Angel Row and Nottingham station) to The Green in Ruddington, a short walk from the museum. Buses also run from Loughborough, West Bridgford and nearby villages.
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
The museum has no car park. Ruddington has free on-street parking and a free car park at the Co-op on Church Street. Chapel Street is a cul-de-sac with very limited space, to be used only by visitors with mobility problems.
- Accessible parking: not available
Ruddington is reached from Nottingham, Derby, Loughborough, Leicester and junction 24 of the M1; follow the brown signs to the village centre.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café
- Museum shop
Parker’s Yard Cafe (run by Split Screen Coffee, with accessible tableware), a museum gift shop and the Chapel Gallery.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Corporate events
The Parker’s Yard Chapel can be hired from 9am to 9pm daily for community groups and businesses needing a meeting venue: £17.50 per hour (minimum two hours), £100 for 9am to 5pm or £150 for 9am to 9pm. Tables and chairs are included and catering is arranged through the cafe. Capacity is not stated.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| School programs | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | A volunteer or member of staff is on hand to give guidance and demonstrations. Group visits (minimum 8 people) run from February to November and should be booked at least three weeks ahead; allow at least two hours. |
