Wandle Industrial Museum – The Vestry annex

The Wandle Museum was founded in 1983, its mission, “To preserve, store, and interpret the heritage and history of the industries and people of the River Wandle.”

The exhibitions offer fascinating insights with displays about such iconic companies as Young’s Brewery, Liberty & Co. and William Morris, as well as less well-known ones like Connolly’s, the leather makers.

Featured are the stories of the many mills which operated along the Wandle and the associated industries, particularly snuff production. There’s also information on textiles and the Wandle Valley lavender-growing industry — apparently, it used to be known as ‘the lavender capital of the world.’ Find out, too, about The Surrey Iron Railway.

The museum is run by volunteers so opening hours are limited but it’s possible to book visits by telephone.