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All the United Kingdom England Fakenham Fakenham Museum of Gas and Local History

Fakenham Museum of Gas and Local History

The last gas works in England and Wales details how people once extracted the resource from coal.

Fakenham, England

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Alistar Dean
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The museum.   alistardean / Atlas Obscura User
Coking works - extracting gas for pure carbon.   alistardean / Atlas Obscura User
Gauge design is strong.   alistardean / Atlas Obscura User
Gas fires never looked so good again.   alistardean / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Before the British discovered a huge reserve of natural gas off the coast of the islands in the North Sea, industries manufactured gas locally using a process called coking. Though it was a dirty and dangerous process, it remained prevalent in the United Kingdom until the 1960s. 

Fakenham's Museum of Gas and Local History is the only remaining gas works in England and Wales. It documents how coking was done, and how the precious energy source was distributed and used.

The museum is free to enter and is run by volunteers who will take you on a tour of the grounds, which are now a Scheduled Ancient Monument. It houses all of the equipment used to manufacture gas from coal, such as retorts, condensers, purifiers, meters, and gas-holders. There's also a rather marvelous collection of gas appliances used in homes.

Related Tags

Museums Museums And Collections Coal Industrial

Know Before You Go

Check opening times on its website. Parking is questionable—there's a local free carpark, but Thursdays are Fakenham's town market day, so it may be full.

The staff who work here are lovely and will help you out. The gift shop is a thing of wonder and everything costs two quid.

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alistardean

Published

August 30, 2019

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  • https://www.erih.net/i-want-to-go-there/site/show/Sites/fakenham-museum-of-gas-local-history/
  • http://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?TNF1041-Fakenham-Fakenham-Museum-of-Gas-and-Local-History-(Places-to-Visit)
  • https://www.visitnorfolk.co.uk/Fakenham-Fakenham-Museum-of-Gas-and-Local-History/details/?dms=3&venue=0229493
Fakenham Museum of Gas and Local History
Hempton Rd
Fakenham, England, NR21 7LA
United Kingdom
52.826942, 0.847453
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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of England

England

United Kingdom

Places 2,219
Stories 145

Nearby Places

The Ruins of St. Mary's Church

England

miles away

Thursford Collection

Thursford, England

miles away

Ware Hall House

Wells-next-the-Sea, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of England

England

United Kingdom

Places 2,219
Stories 145

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