New industrial heritage attraction opens to the public in Wrexham

Stori Brymbo, a major new heritage attraction in North Wales, has opened to the public on the site of the former Brymbo Iron and Steelworks in Wrexham.

Led by the Brymbo Heritage Trust, the plan to reopen the steelworks as a visitor attraction, which has been in the works since 2017, has now finally come to fruition.

With £10m from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and £300,000 from the Welsh Government, Stori Brymbo is nearing completion, with most of the main components now open to the public.

The last remaining part of the development will be the Pattern Shop, which will tell the story of ironmaking and is due to be unveiled in September.

Stori Brymbo’s Story of Steel is now open, as well as the restored and repurposed Machine Shop, which is the site’s visitor centre. The Machine Shop has an art gallery space, cafe, rentable office/workshop spaces and a flexible space for learning and meetings. Exhibition design across the site has been led by Creative Core.

Expected to attract up to 37,000 visitors per year, the site also comprises a 300-million-year-old fossil forest. The internationally important site was discovered during open cast coal mining in 2003. A covered, protected environment for the excavation was included as part of the works.

This sheltered area opened in January and aids the public presentation of the fossil forest as well as the practical aspects of an ongoing excavation.

With the fossil forest on the site of a former iron and steelworks, Stori Brymbo is able to tell a 300-million-year long story, taking visitors on a chronological trip through fossils to coal, iron to steel, industrial closure to renewal and reopening.

The redevelopment has also involved the repair and refurbishment of historic structures, including the Grade II* listed Agent’s House, the Blast Colliery and a series of ironworks buildings including the Foundry, Cast House and Blast Furnace.

At its core, the project celebrates the connection between nature, industry and people, aiming to create opportunities for local people to work, learn and play. Stori Brymbo has already brought new facilities, jobs, training and apprenticeships to the area.

Andrew White, the director for Wales at the National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: "Stori Brymbo demonstrates the power of community-led regeneration: a place where local stories, shared pride and an ambitious vision come together to create lasting benefits for local people and visitors alike.

“It is a powerful reminder that heritage is not just about looking back; it is about using the past to help shape the future. We are delighted to see Stori Brymbo officially open its doors and welcome visitors. The project brings to life more than 300 million years of history, from the world-renowned Fossil Forest to Brymbo's rich industrial and community heritage.

“Thanks to National Lottery players, this ambitious project will help ensure that the stories of Brymbo's landscapes, industries and people are celebrated, shared and enjoyed by local communities, visitors and future generations for years to come.”

The Brymbo works was founded by industrialist John “Iron Mad” Wilkinson (1728–1808). Wilkinson made his fortune pioneering the manufacture of cast iron goods.

Following his successful iron smelting business and the invention of new technologies, steel production began on site from 1885. Business boomed over the following decades.

One hundred years later, fortunes had changed. Brymbo suffered heavily during the decline of industry in the 1970s and 1980s and eventually ceased production in 1990, devastating the local community with the loss of 1,125 jobs. The site had been left largely abandoned until its redevelopment.