Horwich Heritage Centre

Who we are

Horwich Heritage Centre is housed in a purpose-designed building in the heart of Horwich. Run by the Horwich Heritage Society, the Centre provides the opportunity for a detailed local study of the town, including an exploration of the town’s important place in locomotive history. The collections and exhibitions cover the rich and varied social and industrial heritage of Horwich town over the past 200 years. Permanent exhibitions at the Heritage Centre include a locomotive footplate and feature of the Horwich Loco Works, a Victorian kitchen and schoolroom, the entrance to a local mine, a tollgate, local transport and aspects of local industry, World War 2 as well as life in post–war Britain. The Centre welcomes school groups and offers the opportunity for immersion in interactive role- play sessions looking at how life used to be, followed by the opportunity to research and handle the collections. You can enrich your visit through pre or post visit research using the extensive archive materials available which are themed as follows; • Railways and Local Industry • Wartime • Religion and Education • Sport & Social Life • People and Family History • Transport • Local Buildings and Architecture The centre has reference, archive and AV facilities showing films documenting different elements of Horwich life which could be used to stimulate interest in a particular historical event or person. For example, the 'Winter Hill Air Disaster 27 February 1958' DVD recalls the day of the disaster through the eyes of some of those who were involved or who witnessed the events.