'Thomas Telford Museum' suggested for canalside mill

(The website link that was here no longer works) This week's Market Drayton Advertiser reports on the suggestion made at this week's Audlem Parish Council meeting that the now empty Kingbur Mill, next to the canal in Audlem, could be used for a museum commemorating Thomas Telford. The idea could, however, be scuppered by high rent charges.

Audlem parish councillor Mike Hill reported on the progress at the Mill following the closure last month of the Canal Shop. He said that as part of the Parish Plan an idea had been put forward to turn the lower floor of the mill into a museum covering Thomas Telford's work and life. The Shropshire Union canal was Telford's last major project.

Cllr. Hill said: "The rent of £15,000 a year is a bit steep and we can't afford that unless we can put a couple of flats above. It is then a question of whether anyone would be willing to live above a museum. The initial thing that came up was a museum and we thought who we could put in locally and Thomas Telford was the obvious answer because he was involved with the canal. As far as we know, there is no other museum in the country dedicated to Telford and that is a great opportunity."

"The next move is to speak to British Waterways, who own the mill, and see what we can do from there. We're involved in the Weaver Valley project as well and they are fully behind the idea." Cllr. Hill added that the Parish Plan group were also looking at utilising the water flow along the canal system to use an alternative power source. A number of canal side and river side locations in Cheshire are examining the same idea and a demonstration has been arranged in Derbyshire later this month which Audlem representatives will be attending.

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