New exhibition explores canal’s link to museum

The display has been set up by the Wey and Arun Canal Trust at Amberley Museum and Heritage Centre.

Lime kilns on the site of the museum, in Station Road, Amberley, were once used to make building products which were transported on the canal.

The exhibition, in the centre’s Gin Building, depicts the history of the 19th century waterway and the quest of the trust to bring it back to life.

Trust chairman Sally Schupke said: “Works in the chalk pit, where the museum was set up, once despatched the lime mortar they made in barges on the canal.

“Our exhibition there has been enhanced with two large, colourful panels depicting the building of the canal and our quest to restore it.”

The panels were bought with the help of a grant from IGas, the onshore oil and gas exploration and production company which has operations at Storrington and in Albury, Surrey.

IGas Community Fund representative Leah Cope visited the museum on Thursday, August 13, to see the panels and meet trust officers and museum director Martin Piggot.

Other items in the exhibition include a model of the restored section of the canal at Loxwood and a copy of an original share certificate from the canal company.

Ms Schupke added: “There are also two brightly painted bargee figures with holes at head height through which children can put their faces to be photographed.

“Youngsters were making use of these within minutes of them being in place.”

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