Bewdley foundry brought back to life
It was a victim of progress – but now a foundry which helped shape the future of a Midland town has been brought back to life and is attracting visitors from far and wide who want to step back in time.
The brass factory flourished in Bewdley from 1697 onwards and is once again a hive of activity, after a £650,000 project to refurbish the original workshop.
The new exhibition opened in May and since then visitors have flocked to see how items such as brass weights for scales were made at the factory site, now part of the town's museum in Load Street.
The old office, with ledgers lining the walls and invoices hanging from the ceiling, the display shop, finishing shop and casting shop, still stand on the site where its business was born.
Families from up and down the country have paid a visit to the site during the summer. There is also a video explaining the brass-making process, which museum development officer Ruth Finney revealed is proving popular with visitors.
She said: "People enjoy watching the film about how brass was made. Many people didn't even realise that the brass foundry buildings were here until now so they have attracted quite a lot of interest."
The business, which was at the back of the museum in Load Street, was started by Christopher Bancks in 1697.
