Shardlow Heritage Centre

About the Heritage Centre

Shardlow Heritage Centre is housed in the oldest of these warehouses, right at the start of the Trent and Mersey Canal. It tells the story of the village from Roman times to the present day with particular emphasis on the canal port.

It includes wall and cabinet displays, a mock-up boat cabin, an audio-visual introduction to the village today, dressing up clothes for children, a small library and sales area and an extremely friendly and helpful group of volunteer staff.

The Local Area

Shardlow Heritage Centre & traditional narrowboats

Originally a river port, Shardlow developed greatly with the opening of the Trent and Mersey Canal in 1770. Goods were transferred from wide boats to narrowboats and stored during this operation or while awaiting redistribution by road in a growing range of warehouses.

Along with this development came all sorts of other businesses and buildings to support the carriers – boat builders, ropeworks, workshops, stores, stables, offices, workers’ cottages and owner’s houses. The Trent and Mersey Canal revolutionised the transportation of goods, introducing a more efficient method of transferring cargo from wide boats to narrow boats.

Shardlow became a crucial hub for this operation, where goods were stored in warehouses while awaiting redistribution by road.

The decline of the Canal business brought different uses for the warehouses, but the area remains remarkably unchanged.

Accessibility

Shardlow Heritage Centre is committed to providing a welcoming experience for all visitors. The Centre offers disability access, with parking spaces conveniently located near the disabled access ramp.

Toilets with disabled access are available at the adjacent Clock Warehouse pub. The Centre’s spacious pathways, wider than 1 meter, ensure ease of movement for wheelchair users. With room for two wheelchairs at a time, the Centre strives to accommodate all visitors, allowing them to explore the exhibits at their own pace.