Chard & District Museum/Heritage Centre

About

Visitors wanting to visit the Museum during the months of November to March can do so via our Book a Visit button. Chard Museum exists to help today's community uncover yesterday's heritage, history and hidden stories. It is a small local museum based in Chard Somerset. It opened in 1970 and celebrates its 50th Anniversary in 2020. Exhibits in the museum tell the story of the town and the local area including geology, the fire of 1577, the Monmouth Rebellion, local lace, the Lace Riots and the rise and fall of industrial Chard. Outside there is a blacksmith's forge and display of farm machinery. Much of which made by local firm Denings of Chard. There are significant displays on notable people with connections to the town. This includes John Stringfellow, who with another local man William Samuel Henson achieved the first powered flight, in 1848, in a disused lace factory, with a 10-foot (3m), steam-driven flying machine.

At a glance

• Typical visit: about 1 hour 30 minutes