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Newtown Textile Museum
Newtown Textile Museum
Museum, free entry
Wales is operating country-wide restrictions and is currently at coronavirus alert level four, with strict measures in place to limit the spread of the virus. Please check on the Welsh Government website before visiting or travelling to Wales or within Wales.
Details
The Textile Museum is situated at 5-7 Commercial Street in Newtown. The building is a fine example of a typical early 19th century weaving shop. Originally there were six back-to-back cottages on the two lower floors, with two loom floors running the length of the building above . The six cottages would have housed a family each. Over the years many of these families would have worked in the weaving shop on the two floors above, either as handloom weavers or with associated work.
The museum now has one floor is dedicated to showing looms, spinning wheels and the processes involved in turning fleece into flannel. The top floor has exhibits of local businesses including Pryce Jones, one of the early pioneers in mail order. There are also displays of the businesses of the town over the centuries. The lower floors show recreated rooms, and further information on the history of the town and its people.
The Museum can provide a speaker to local groups, to talk about Hand-loom weaving and Newtown's boom and bust in the 1800s or similar topics.
Museum is on four floors. Some uneven floors and low headroom Disability access is limited to ground floor, where some displays and an interactive display shows the story of the Museum.
Opening details
Prices
Free entry
Free but donations please as entirely a volunteer organisation.
Group Tours of 15 or less:
? Introductory talk and tour of the building £35
? Introductory talk and tour of the building, plus a demonstration £75
For groups of over 15 people, £2 a head is charged for each additional person.
Enquire now
newtowntextilemuseum.co.uk
email a friendAddress
5-7 Commercial Street,
Newtown,
Powys,
SY16 2BL
Directions
Plan route using Google mapsMap reference: SO 107919 Lat: 52.51815 Long: -3.31663
By car: Limited free parking 1 hr on local streets. Town Car Park in Back Lane and Gravel car park with short walk over bridge and right at roundabout.
By public transport: Transport for Wales Trains. Also Buses to several destinations with bus stop in town centre. Sustrans cycle Route 81
Accessible by Public Transport: 0.5 miles from Newtown station
Nearby
Local AccommodationFacilities
Credit cards accepted (no fee)
Disabled toilets
Welcome Host
Accepts groups
Children welcome
Dogs not accepted (except guidedogs)
Smoking not allowed
Museum is on four floors. Some uneven floors and low headroom Disability access is limited to ground floor, where some displays and an interactive display shows the story of the Museum.
Self-Assessed Accessibility Details
Parking
- The surface of the car park and pathway leading to entrance:
is solid
- Drop-off point for guests outside entrance
- The route from the parking area to the entrance:
- Is flat (i.e. without steps)
- Has steps and no ramp
is solidPublic Areas
- Level access (no steps/thresholds) or access by ramp or lift:
- From the entrance to reception / ticket area
- To a specially adapted public toilet suitable for wheelchair users
Entrance
- Steps to the main entrance
- 5Number of steps to entrance
- Handrail by steps
- Ramp to entrance
- Entrance is well lit
General
- Seating available for visitors with limited mobility
Notes
The Museum has two entrance doors that lead to Reception. The main entrance is direct from Commercial Street, with 5 steps and a threshold, with handrails. The second entrance is from the courtyard at the rear of the Museum. All visitors use the courtyard to gain access to the other parts of the Museum. The second entrance can be reached from a wide alley from Bryn Street, or through a passageway from Commercial Road. There is level access from the courtyard to the ground floor. The wheelchair friendly toilet is fully accessible with no steps. The Museum has no lift to the upper floors. The staircase has wide shallow steps with handrails on each side. Some floors are uneven (it is an old building) and some doorways are low. There is no cafe/restaurant at the museum.
