Stott Park Bobbin Mill

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Stott Park Bobbin Mill

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In the Lake District in Cumbria, this extensive working mill once produced millions of wooden bobbins. Now an historic attraction for people to enjoy.

In the Lake District in Cumbria, this extensive working mill once produced millions of wooden bobbins vital to the Lancashire spinning and weaving industries. The story of the Bobbin Mill is brought to life with a brand new exhibition. Visitors can also see the journey from tree to bobbin first hand during production on the original belt driven machinery. A hands-on family trail helps visitors to imagine what it was like to work at the mill. Although small compared to other mills, some 250 men and boys (some drafted in from workhouses) worked here over the years in often arduous conditions to produce a quarter of a million bobbins a week. Don't Miss
Guided tours around the mill, start at 10.30am and repeated at half past the hour, every 60 minutes. Tours last for 45 mins. The new exhibition where you can discover the links the mill had with the Lancashire spinning and weaving industries
The chance to buy your own bobbin from the gift shop

23/10/2026

LAST STEAM DAY FOR 2026 WITH FAMILY ACTIVITIES
Thursday 29 October
Looking for fun things to do in the Lake District this half-term? Don’t miss the final chance to see Stott Park Bobbin Mill’s steam engine running this year!

Hear the hiss of steam, feel the machinery rumble and watch this remarkable historic mill spring to life. Alongside the demonstrations, there’ll be family activities to enjoy - making it a brilliant day out for curious young minds and grown-ups alike. Including making a willow star and meeting our Stars (volunteers).

Explore the mill, follow the family trail and discover how raw timber was transformed into the millions of wooden bobbins that kept Lancashire’s cotton mills turning.

There will be 5 tours on this special day:
10.30, 11.30, 13.00, 14.00 and 15.00
Join us by booking now, via our website: https://shorturl.at/WKUfe

04/10/2026

FINAL OPENING TIMES FOR 2026
Thursday 8th & Thursday 29th October
Sunday 1st November
Sunday 13th December
We are also excited that we will be running our beautiful Bradley steam engine on Thursday 29th October.
Visit Stott for a time travelling tour of the bobbin mill and watch as your guide transforms a piece of coppiced wood into a bobbin. You'll also hear about coppicing, what it was like to work in a bobbin mill, and see how important bobbins were to the textile industry, from cotton fabric to cotton thread. Book one of 4 tours per day by clicking here: https://shorturl.at/mUI2X

11/09/2026

BOOK NOW FOR SEPTEMBER
Discover the importance of bobbin making in industrial Lake District.
Stott will be open for guided tours on Thursday 17 September. There are 4 slots to choose from: 10.30, 11.30, 13.30, and 14.30. On your tour you will see the wood fly as our guides operate the lathes and make bobbins using our heritage machinery. It is like stepping back in time as you see machinery in action and learn about the working lives of bobbin makers.

Book now by clicking this link to our booking diary https://shorturl.at/WPGbm. We look forward to seeing you soon.

11/08/2026

OPENING TIMES for AUGUST
Thursday 13th and Thursday 20th
If you love steam we are open with our Bradley steam engine running on:
Sunday 30th and Monday 31st (Bank Holiday)
Book now for one of four tours on each day:
10.30, 11.30, 13.30 or 14.30, click the link below
https://shorturl.at/p2TmO
Our tour guides will demonstrate bobbin making on our heritage machinery. Step back in time to the 1880s! Enjoy a walk around our grounds or extend your exploration of the industries of the Lake District with a beautiful walk to High Dam, purpose built to supply water to Stott. Here's a guide to the walk:
https://shorturl.at/QxEWB

14/07/2026

Book Now
Stott Park Bobbin Mill will be open on two days in July, Sunday 19th July and Thursday 30th July. Come and discover how wooden bobbins were essential to the cotton fabric, and the thread manufacturing industries. Whatever the weather our guided tours are fascinating. Not only a guided tour but also our guides will make bobbins on our heritage machines from the 1880s. Enjoy our family trail and a walk in our coppice wood. Book now to ensure your place on one of four tours on each day: https://shorturl.at/reNuJ

03/06/2026

Looking for something special to do whilst enjoying your time in the Lake District? Stott Park Bobbin Mill is open Thursday 4th June and Sunday 28th June. Book a tour and discover how the Lake District supplied millions of bobbins to the cotton industry. Behind these walls the heritage machinery will whirl and bobbins will appear! Click here to book, tours are at 10.30, 11.30, 13.30 and 14.30: https://shorturl.at/RzlOL

30/05/2026

Members' Event
Wednesday 27th May
English Heritage members enjoyed a special treat at Stott Park Bobbin Mill last Wednesday. Lake District woods were once alive with people managing the woodlands, making swill baskets, besoms (twig brooms), charcoal, and harvesting bark for the leather industry. The craft of swill basket making goes back 100s of years and is an endangered or 'Red Listed' heritage craft. Owen Jones is one of the few crafts people keeping this skill alive and we were thrilled to have him on site, demonstrating this skill to members. Anne, one of our volunteers, was on site and took these photographs. Owen told us about the history of swill basket making in the South Lakes and then went on to demonstrate how he makes the baskets. We also got a brief glimpse of besom making, rush hat making and oak bark peeling.
Find out more about the benefits of English Heritage membership, click the link: https://bit.ly/43IVigd

22/05/2026

Can't make the steam days this Sunday and Monday? Holidaying in the Lake District over half term? Stott Park Bobbin Mill is open on Thursday 28 May, also Thursday 4 June. Book a guided tour and find out how bobbins underpinned the cotton industry in Lancashire, and provided reels for cotton thread. Our guides operate Stott's heritage lathes to demonstrate bobbin manufacturing. Wood flies and a bobbin appears. On site we also have a lovely coppiced woodland walk and a fun family trail. Book your tour, one of four per day, just click here:
https://shorturl.at/tmeKY

16/05/2026

May Bank Holiday Steam!

Sunday 24 May, and Monday 25 May Stott will be open and the Bradley of Brighouse steam engine will be operating on both days. Come and hear how quietly this beautiful steam engine runs. There are 4 guided tours each day, please book to avoid disappointment. The wood will fly as your guide turns a piece of coppiced wood into a bobbin, using machines dating back over 100 years. Hear about the workers at Stott from the industrial age of the Lake District, and take a wander around this beautiful site, add the free family trail for your young explorers.

Click here and choose your tour, either 10.30, 11.30, 13.30 or 14.30 https://shorturl.at/KYa5w

11/05/2026

Holidaying in the Lake District this week, or visiting the area on Thursday 14th May? Why not book a guided tour of Stott Park Bobbin Mill? Come and find out about the industry that underpinned the manufacturing of cotton cloth in Lancashire. Cumbria was the place to make bobbins as there was plenty of water power and coppiced woodland. On Thursday there will be four tours, starting at 10.30am. The machines will be running and your guide will not only talk about the history of bobbin making, but will also demonstrate the process using our heritage machinery. Come and watch the wood fly! Book your tour by clicking the link:
https://shorturl.at/LlM6w

Address

Finsthwaite
Ulverston
LA128AX

Telephone

01539531087

Website

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stott-park-bobbin-mill/

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