View source for The Canal Museum

{{Short description|Museum in Northamptonshire, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox museum
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| image              = Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne.jpg
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| alt                = Old mill building by a canal with several anrrow boats moored alongside
| caption            = Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne
| map_type           = Northamptonshire
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| coordinates        = {{Coord|52.143|N|0.915|W|region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(SP743500)|display=inline,title}}
| former_names        = {{ubl|National Waterways Museum Stoke Bruerne|The Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne}}
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| location           = [[Stoke Bruerne]]
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| owner              = [[Canal & River Trust]]
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| website            = {{URL|http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/the-canal-museum}}
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'''The Canal Museum''', formerly known as the '''National Waterways Museum at Stoke Bruerne''' and '''The Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne''', is a [[canal]] museum located next to the [[Grand Union Canal]] just south of the [[Blisworth Tunnel]], near the village of [[Stoke Bruerne]] in [[Northamptonshire]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Canal Museum, Stoke Bruerne |url=https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/things-to-do/museums-and-attractions/the-canal-museum-stoke-bruerne |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=canalrivertrust.org.uk |language=en}}</ref> It is about {{convert|10|mi|km|0}} north of [[Milton Keynes]] and {{convert|7|mi|km|0}} south of [[Northampton]] near junction 15 of the [[M1 motorway]].

==History==

The museum was established in 1963,<ref name="TT">{{cite web |title=The Canal Museum at Stoke Bruerne |url=https://www.towpathtalk.co.uk/the-canal-museum-at-stoke-bruerne/ |website=Towpath Talk |access-date=12 October 2024 |date=25 July 2022}}</ref> as "The Canal Museum". It was founded by two canal workers and enthusiasts, Charles N. Hadlow, the first curator, and Jack James, its first caretaker, whose personal collections formed the main part of its initial exhibits.<ref name="TT" /><ref name="Open">{{cite web |title=Welcome to the Stoke Bruerne web page |url=https://clutch.open.ac.uk/schools/stokebruerne99/jackjames20_5_00.html |access-date=12 October 2024}}</ref><ref name="CRT">{{cite web |url=https://collections.canalrivertrust.org.uk/bw192.2 |title=BW192/2 "Photographs by C N Hadlow" |publisher=Canal and River Trust |access-date=12 October 2024}}</ref>

It was subsequently known as the "National Waterways Museum Stoke Bruerne", one of three museums operated by [[The Waterways Trust]] that focused on the history of [[canals]] in Britain. After the creation of the Canal & River Trust in 2010, the Stoke Bruerne museum was rebranded to its original name.<ref>{{cite web|title=All change—again|url=http://www.narrowboatworld.com/index.php/leatest/1724-all-changeagain|publisher=Narrowboat World|accessdate=13 March 2015|date=14 April 2010|quote=The waterways museums at Gloucester and Stoke Bruerne are being re-named, which is to 'emphasise and strengthen their links with their local environment'. The museum at Gloucester will now be known as Gloucester Waterways Museum and at Stoke Bruerne the museum will revert to its original name, the Canal Museum.}}</ref>

==Museum==

{{More citations needed section|date=October 2024}}

The museum is housed in a restored Grade II [[Listed building|listed]] corn [[gristmill|mill]] at the top of a flight of [[canal lock]]s,<ref>{{NHLE|grade=II|desc=Waterways Museum|num= 1294154 |date=15 March 1988}}</ref> and is one of several museums and attractions operated by the [[Canal & River Trust]], the successor to [[The Waterways Trust]].

The museum tells the story of Britain's inland waterways and the people who worked on them. It provides an insight into the transport system which was fundamental to the [[Industrial Revolution]] in Britain. There are working models and [[Three-dimensional space|3-D]] displays including a model of the short-lived inclined-plane mechanical lift at [[Foxton Locks|Foxton]] in Leicestershire. Exhibits include models of working boats including [[narrow boats]], [[barges]], butties and tugs, painted ware and canal crafts, traditional clothing, canal-side signs and specialist tools.

The museum has a shop and café, and a school/activity room available for educational visits.

==See also==
*[[London Canal Museum]]
*[[National Waterways Museum]]
*[[Gloucester Waterways Museum]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Stoke Bruerne Canal Museum|The Canal Museum}}
* [http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/the-canal-museum The Canal Museum] - Canal & River Trust
* [http://www.friendsofcanalmuseum.org.uk/ The Friends of The Canal Museum]
* [https://www.macearchive.org/films/look-around-12071963-waterwayshttps://www.macearchive.org/films/look-around-12071963-waterways July 1963 episode of ''Look Around''], featuring Charles N. Hadlow at the newly-opened museum
*{{oscoor gbx|SP743500}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Canal Museum, The}}
[[Category:Canal museums in England]]
[[Category:Museums in Northamptonshire]]


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