National Trust half price entry to Burnley's iconic Queen Street Mill

The National Trust and Lancashire County Council have announced plans to welcome new visitors to two iconic Lancashire mill museums this summer, starting with an offer for National Trust members.

Members of the National Trust, along with any friends or family members who join them, can claim half-price entry to Queen Street Mill in Harle Syke and Helmshore Mills in Rossendale for a limited time in May and June.

The offer gives over 5.6 million history-loving National Trust members the opportunity to experience the earth-shaking power of the mills’ machinery and discover how Lancashire played its part in the Industrial Revolution.

The Trust, which cares for another example of the North West’s textile heritage at Quarry Bank in Cheshire, has partnered with Lancashire County Council to explore ways to develop and support the local authority’s two mill museum sites, which have recently re-opened after the winter break.

Grade I listed Queen Street Mill, on the outskirts of Burnley, is the last surviving example of a steam powered weaving mill in the world.

Featured in the 2010 film The King’s Speech starring Colin Firth, and in Mike Leigh’s 2018 drama Peterloo, the mill’s steam engine ‘Peace’ is kept alive thanks to a dedicated team of staff and volunteers provide regular tours of the site for visitors.

The offer for National Trust members forms part of a wider partnership between the charity and Lancashire County Council, which is being made possible thanks to funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The partnership aims to share knowledge between the two organisations and showcase these two significant museums, encouraging people living in Lancashire and beyond to discover the county’s industrial past.

The Trust is also supporting the local authority’s team through a consultancy programme, with its team of heritage specialists and curators sharing knowledge and offering practical advice.

Eleanor Underhill, National Trust assistant director of operations for the North West, said: “We’re delighted to be working in partnership with Lancashire County Council to explore a brighter future for Helmshore Mills and Queen Street Mill. Starting with our half-price offer for National Trust members, we want to give many more people the opportunity to experience what these iconic mill museums have to offer.”

Although budget cuts resulted in the temporary closure of Queen Street Mill and Helmshore Mills in 2016, Lancashire County Council re-opened these culturally-significant sites in 2019, and they now welcome visitors from April to October.

Queen Street Mill is open Wednesday to Saturday 12-4pm, and will also be open Sundays 12-4pm in May and June as a trial during the offer period.

Ian Watson, libraries and museums manager for Lancashire County Council, said: "There's nothing quite like experiencing the moment when you step into the spinning floor and weaving sheds or see the engine room.

"You're transported back in time, when textiles where at the heart of the industrial age, imagining what it must have been like for the people who worked there, day in, day out.

"We hope National Trust members will bring their family and friends and enjoy a great day out at these two incredible sites.”