Redditch Needle Museum & Bordesley Abbey

Forge Mill Needle Museum in Redditch is an unusual and fascinating place to visit. This historic site illustrates the rich heritage of the needle and fishing tackle industries. Models and recreated scenes provide a vivid illustration of how needles were once made, and how Redditch once produced 90% of the world’s needles. On the same site, just a very short walk from Forge Mill Museum, are the ruins of Bordesley Abbey – a medieval Cistercian Abbey which has been extensively excavated. Bordesley Abbey Visitor Centre, which is set in an original reconstructed 16th century barn, tells the extraordinary story of the Abbey from its development in the 12th century to its destruction in 1538 by Henry VIII during the dissolution. ‘One of the most unique museums in Worcestershire and the West Midlands, the museum also has an excellent coffee bar and a superb gift shop selling souvenirs and a good selection of the finest quality needles, many of which are locally produced. We also stock unusual needles and offer a mail order service.’ Booking essential.