Pewsey Heritage Centre
Local museum in the former Whatley foundry in Pewsey, covering about 150 years of farming, industry, canal and railway life in the Vale of Pewsey.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Pewsey Heritage Centre occupies the foundry building of the Whatley engineering firm in Pewsey. The firm moved from Wootton Rivers to Pewsey around 1870 and made water and agricultural engineering equipment. Its foundry was built in 1873 from limestone left over from canal and railway works, and it still has its original hand-operated overhead crane of five tons. A fire in 1919 destroyed the first roof, but the building survived. By the 1970s the business could no longer compete with firms using newer technology and turned to motor repairs in new buildings behind the foundry.
The museum came about through an agreement between the Pewsey Local History Society and the firm, under which part of the foundry became a museum with the machinery left in place.
The collection covers the social, agricultural and industrial life of the Vale of Pewsey over roughly the last 150 years, including the Kennet and Avon Canal and the railway. It holds more than 10,000 objects, now catalogued online, together with archive material and a large collection of local photographs. Some items are always on display while others are rotated.
Highlights
- Former Whatley foundry with its original five-ton hand-operated crane
- Collection of more than 10,000 objects, searchable online
- Farming, industry, canal and railway history of the Vale of Pewsey
- Large local photograph collection
- Heritage Bingo sheets for children
Permanent exhibition
- The Whatley foundry and the Vale of Pewsey collection – The foundry machinery and objects, photographs and archives telling the farming, industrial, canal and railway story of the Vale of Pewsey.
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £2 |
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| Children & teens | freefree up to age 16 · Free for ages 16 and under; children must be accompanied by an adult. |
Adult admission is £2.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- 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
The centre is described as fully accessible for wheelchair and small electric buggy users, with no steps or slopes outside the entrance. The Education Centre toilet and the Whatley Building have accessible toilet facilities.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 16 |
|---|
- Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
Children can complete Heritage Bingo activity sheets. Admission is free for ages 16 and under.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Pewsey station · 10-min walk
Pewsey railway station is about 0.4 miles (a 10-minute walk) away, along the A345 towards Marlborough.
By car
Free parking · 100 m to the entrance
Free parking is available in the Co-op car park, about 100 metres across the High Street, opposite Manningford Croft estate agents.
The centre is just off the High Street, down a small road beside the Manningford Croft estate agents. what3words: tell.surviving.mistaking.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
Free Wi-Fi is available in the Whatley Building, which is offered for hire. The page does not mention Wi-Fi for museum visitors. There is no café on site; cafés, tea rooms and pubs are nearby in Pewsey.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
Up to 30 guests.
The Whatley Building suits meetings, presentations, family gatherings and children’s parties. It holds up to 30 people and has a screen, projector, sound system, kitchen and a riverside deck. Hire costs £15 per hour for the first two hours, then £10 per hour.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Good to know | Some items are on permanent display and others are rotated. Temporary displays include work by local schools at Christmas and Easter. |
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