Stoke Bruerne Canal Museum

Stoke Bruerne Canal Museum occupies a Grade II listed corn mill with three exhibition floors next to the Grand Union Canal locks. The building holds roughly 12,000 objects and 68 historic boats that document life on British inland waterways.

The museum was founded in 1963 by Charles Hadlow and Jack James, canal workers who gathered their personal collection of waterway artifacts. Their effort preserved the history of inland shipping and its workers from being forgotten.

The museum displays objects that reveal how people lived and worked aboard boats on British inland waterways. These items show the daily routines and close-knit communities of waterway workers and their families.

The museum sits near junction 15 of the M1 motorway and offers a pay-and-display parking area for visitors. The building is straightforward to reach, and you can explore the three exhibition floors at your own pace.

The museum houses the Sculptor, a narrowboat from 1935 that served as a fireboat during World War 2. This vessel shows the different roles inland boats played during the war effort.

Location: Stoke Bruerne

Address: Stoke Bruerne, Bridge Road, Stoke Bruerne, Towcester, NN12 7SE

Website: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/places-to-visit/stoke-bruerne

GPS coordinates: 52.14300,-0.91500

Latest update: December 14, 2025 12:20