A heritage asset on Ellesmere Port ’s waterfront is set to reopen for the 2016 season.
The National Waterways Museum on South Pier Road will be open for business from Saturday, February 13 with a family friendly weekend packed full of free performances, live music, film showings and all the usual museum activities.
Artist in residence Francesca Millican-Slater will be debuting a performance created especially for the museum while Ellesmere Port based production company Chalice Media will be bringing history to life across Thomas Telford’s historic site creating a fascinating 19th century Living History experience focused on the original cottages in Porters Row.
Visitors will be invited to step back in time and join the Chalice Crew for a fun, family friendly and educational experience.
Repeating history
Inspired by stories of the historic canal walk by Wolverhampton workers to start a new life in Ellesmere Port in the early 20th century, Francesca walked 90 miles along the Shropshire Union Canal last September from Birmingham to the museum.
Thanks to funding by The Leverhulme Trust, she will be re-imagining that walk as she tells stories old and new tracing the footsteps of the people who built, boated, lived, worked and walked the canal.
Performances will take place at noon and 3pm on Saturday, February 13 and at 2.30pm on Sunday, February 14.
Free places can be reserved by telephoning 0151 373 4378.
Saturday evening will turn a little shady as the Chalice Media Cast and Crew reveal a darker side to the inland waterway history recreating the Waterways Tavern at the museum.
With traditional music, singing, dancing and real ale the entertainment casts off at 6pm with an all-new take on the gritty and vicious 18th century melodrama ‘Maria Martin and The Murder In the Red Barn’ while Ceilidh with Tom Kitching and his band will follow at 7.30pm.
Anniversary
Head of museums at the Canal and River Trust Graham Boxer said: “We are excited to be reopening the museum for what is set to be an exciting year.
“We shall be celebrating our 40th anniversary in the summer months and reopening the port’s historic slipway as we invite visitors to step back in time, clock in for work at the slipway supervisor’s office and explore how the historic winch would have raised boats from the Manchester Ship Canal.”
The weekend offers free entrance to Ellesmere Port residents with proof of address. For more details on the event and times of other performances visit canalrivertrust.org.uk/nwm.
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