Liz Bennet is the Managing Director of The Ropewalk Arts Centre in Barton on Humber, North Lincolnshire.
The Ropewalk is an arts centre, museum, café and studio space. It is housed in a Grade II listed former rope factory, Hall’s Barton Ropery, which was founded in 1801 and closed in 1989. Many of the artefacts on display in the museum and available in the archive were donated by former employees and their families.
The Ropewalk has been part of Barton’s story for more than two centuries, beginning life as a bustling rope‑making factory that once powered Britain’s maritime industries. Its long, narrow footprint—perfect for twisting hemp into rope—became a defining feature of the town’s industrial landscape.
Today, the building has been lovingly transformed into a vibrant cultural hub, home to galleries, studios, a café, and a thriving programme of arts, music, and community events. It’s a place where history and creativity meet, where the echoes of industry sit alongside the energy of modern makers and performers.
www.the-ropewalk.co.uk