The Hub National Centre for Crafts and Design may draw visitors from all over the world but the largest, most loyal part of its regular visitor base comes from a broad swathe of Lincolnshire, from the City of Lincoln to the north and Stamford to the south - we are literally a geographic hub. Our visitors tell us that they come primarily for the exhibitions and events - to be entertained and informed in equal measure. They also enjoy the crafts shop as a place to buy high quality work by respected designermakers, cards and smaller items, and a well stocked, licensed café.
The Hub was once Hubbards Seed Warehouse, part of a thriving commercial quarter of Sleaford set around the end of a navigable waterway connected to the UK’s wider network. The derelict site was rescued four years ago to include the Hub, studios/workshops and Navigation House - the renovated wharf office now a visitor centre.
Access to Sleaford town centre is by way of a pedestrian footbridge. Downstream though, is a popular riverside walk that, by way of a wild life area leads to Cogglesford Mill, a renovated and still functioning flour mill.
The Riverside Walk now bridges centuries, from the C18 to C21, from the historic sites to highly contemporary exhibitions, looking both forward and backwards.
Stone built Navigation House was the centre of a flourishing yard that loaded and offloaded sail barges that plied between Sleaford and the sea. It housed the managers and clerks who represented the interests of local bankers and financiers. The building dates from the mid 1700s, refurbished here and there over time but thoroughly renovated a few years ago and made into a visitor centre that tells Sleaford’s history. The house is open Mon-Fri 12 noon-4pm, Sat, Sun and Bank Holidays: 11am-4.30pm.
Cogglesford Mill, near to the site of a prehistoric pathway and Roman road (the mill is literally Coggle Ford), was built in the 1750s but substantially remodelled in the 1830s. It is a rare example of a still working water mill, producing organic flour in small quantities.
Alongside, the mill house is now a restaurant.
The Mill is open every weekend year round and weekdays during the summer months.
