Bersham Heritage Centre & Ironworks

Bersham Heritage Centre and Ironworks
Bersham
Wrexham
LL14 4HT
Wales

Website

www.wrexham.gov.uk/heritage

E-mail

museum@wrexham.co.uk

Telephone

01978 318 970

All information is drawn or provided by the venues themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.
Cartoon of John 'Iron Mad' Wilkinson, 18th century inventor and entrepreneur.
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Bersham Ironworks is where John Wilkinson, the late 18th industrial pioneer, developed some of his most important inventions. The site was excavated in the early 1990s and you can see the remains of the ironworks. Inside the old mill (open by arrangement only) there is a "son et lumiere/light and sound" interpretation of life as a foundryman.

Bersham Heritage Centre is the industrial history museum for Wrexham, situated in the attractive Clywedog Valley. The centre is an ideal stop-off point on the Clywedog Trail, a nine mile footpath that links all the local industrial heritage sites between Minera Lead Mines and King's Mill, near Erddig. There is a seasonal exhibition programme aimed at families and schools:
2011 - Coal Mining in North Wales
2012 - Made in Wrexham
2013 - Clockwatching

Venue Type:

Museum, Industrial heritage site

 Opening hours

Bersham Heritage Centre
April - October
Mon - Fri 10.00 - 16.30
Sat - Sun 12.00 - 16.30
November - March
Closed

Bersham Ironworks is open to organised groups between April and October

 Admission charges

FREE

 Getting there

Follow brown signs marked Bersham and Clywedog from either the A525 onto the B9058, or the A483 onto the B5605 and the B5098 and the Heritage Centre is just off the B5099 west of Wrexham. The ironworks is about ten minutes' walk from the heritage centre.

Additional info

Directions: For Heritage Centre: as above but Heritage Centre is just off the B5099. Look out of signs marked Canolfan Dreftadaeth Y Bers - Bersham Heritage Centre
For Ironworks: Follow Brown signs marked Bersham and Clywedog from either A525 onto B5098, A483 onto B5605 and B5098, or B5099 west of Wrexham. Look out for brown signs marked Gwaith Haearn Ironworks. For off road parking continue past the Ironworks for 150m and turn right opposite Bersham Church. Please contact the Heritage Centre for the Ironworks opening times.

excavation finds from Bersham Ironworks, the local industrial history collection related to the Denbighshire coalfield, Brymbo Steelworks and Minera Lead Mines.

Collection details

Archaeology, Archives, Industry, Science and Technology, Social History

Exhibition details are listed below, you may need to scroll down to see them all.

Made in Wrexham

23 March — 3 November 2013 *on now

Wrexham helped build modern Britain and manufacturing industry helped create modern Wrexham. Find out how in this exhibition which showcases examples of local manufacturing genius and endeavour including the unique Powell motorbike and the detailed designs of Dennis Ruabon and J. C. Edwards. Bersham Heritage Centre re-opens 23.03.2013. www.wrexham.gov.uk/heritage

Suitable for

Admission

Free

Events details are listed below. You may need to scroll down or click on headers to see them all. For events that don't have a specific date see the 'Resources' tab above.

Made in Wrexham - Make your Own Mini Powell Motorbikes

23 March — 3 November 2013 *on now

Find out how Wrexham helped build modern Britain and the manufacturing industry helped create modern Wrexham. This exhibition showcases the unique Powell motorbike and the detailed designs of Dennis Ruabon and J. C. Edwards. Especially for children: Come and make your own Mini Powell Motorbikes with our unique paper bike kits. FREE admission to Centre. Recommended donation per motorbike kit: 50p. www.wrexham.gov.uk/heritage.

Suitable for

  • Family friendly

Admission

Free, recommended donation 50p

Resources listed here may include websites, bookable tours and workshops, books, loan boxes and more. You may need to scroll down or click on headers to see them all.
 Face to face resources

The Iron Man of Industry: John Wikinson

With John Wilkinson's important ironworks in Bersham, this is local and international history rolled into one. In a two hour workshop: explore the new exhibition with facilitated activities and learn why Bersham was a great location for an ironworks, discover the different jobs in an ironworks and how cannon were made, decide if he was a good employer, take a tour of the ironworks to see the archaeology and make a John Wilkinson token.

Creator

  • Lynn Podmore
  • Karen Teasdale

Publisher

  • Wrexham Heritage Service

How to obtain

Please contact the Learning & Access Officer on
museumeducation@wrexham/gov.uk.
There is a charge per child, depending on whether the school is in or outside Wrexham County Borough.

Getting there

Follow brown signs marked Bersham and Clywedog from either the A525 onto the B9058, or the A483 onto the B5605 and the B5098 and the Heritage Centre is just off the B5099 west of Wrexham. The ironworks is about ten minutes' walk from the heritage centre.

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