St Helens came alive with history, culture and incredible community spirit as the town centre hosted its Heritage Festival.
No. 7 Bottle Shop at Cannington Shaw was one of a number of locations to host events on the day. Work is well underway to bring this iconic piece of St Helens’ heritage back to life. The festival was a great opportunity not only to celebrate the past, but to showcase the future and how the building and the site is being restored, to be repurposed for use by the local community.
Cannington Shaw Shines
Bathed in glorious sunshine, hundreds of visitors had the opportunity to experience a guided tour of the Grade 2 Listed Building. There were also a number of interactive stalls on site, with the chance to try your hand at arts and crafts, including glass mosaic making and basic blacksmith skills. You could find out more about the National Lottery Heritage Fund, whilst the Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives (AGRA) were on hand for those looking to research their ancestors, or a family history. Free food and refreshments were available, making it a great fun day for all of the family to enjoy and get involved.
What shone through really clearly was the immense pride people have in where they live, its history and what it can become again.
John Tabern, Chairman and Project Director of Cannington Shaw Preservation Trust CIC said; “We’re delighted to be hosting this event as part of St Helens Heritage Festival. It’s been fantastic to see people of all ages coming together and enjoying the day. It was particularly special to talk to those who’ve worked here, or had family members who did and hear their cherished stories and memories. What shone through really clearly was the immense pride people have in where they live, its history and what it can become again.”
This sentiment was echoed by visitors throughout the day. Miranda, who works in St Helens said: “What an amazing place this is. So many good things have come out of St Helens. I think the more we celebrate its history and heritage, the better.”
Gill, who was born and bred in St Helens and took part in the tour, was equally impressed. She said; “I’ve loved all of the stuff going on today and it makes me feel really proud to be from St Helens. I’ve always been fascinated by the No. 7 Bottle Shop. You can see the top of the cone when you go shopping, but I hadn’t realised just how big the site and the building actually are. I loved hearing not just about the history of the building, but also about the glass making process. It’s great to see the restoration work that’s going on and exciting to think what it will look like in the future.”
Be Part of History in the Making!
This vital project aims to preserve a piece of St Helens’ industrial heart, while creating a vibrant new space for the community.
You can find out more about our work and join our community of supporters, sign up to our FREE newsletter, or connect with us on social media. You’ll find us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and X.
