Tour of Portland Works – Heritage Open Days

Tours of Portland Works

*Please note booking is required for this event*

Portland Works is an operational business every day of the week. But wherever possible, we like to find opportunities to bring the public inside.

We love helping people learn about the history of the building and sharing the progress that we’re making to preserve it.

We are opening for booked guided tours only during Heritage Open Week – starting at the advertised times. These are:

Saturday 13 September 10.30 – 12.30
Tuesday 16 September 2 – 4pm
Thursday 18 September 5 – 7pm

How to book
If you can – please book through Eventbrite here:
or you can call the office on 0114 275 9354 and leave an answerphone message – please tell us which day you’d like to book for, your name, how many places you need and leave a contact number. Thank you

Who we are

Portland Works is a fascinating Grade II* listed former Victorian Cutlery Works in substantially original condition and a rare example of integrated cutlery works where all the manufacturing, presentation and distribution were done from this site. Considered to be the birthplace of stainless steel cutlery manufacturing, many of the original features remain, including a forge with original Victorian spring hammers and grinding wheels.

Portland Works is now owned and managed by a Community Benefit Society, which rents out workshop space and manages the restoration and maintenance of the buildings. This Grade II* listed heritage site remains a busy a working environment for small manufacturing and creative industries to this day. These modern “little mesters” include knife and tool makers, wood, metal and leather workers, artists and musicians and a gin distillery.

We cant guarantee which tenants will be welcoming visitors into their workshop on the day. But there is always plenty to see.

What You’ll See When You Visit

We will show you around the yard so you can see where the various processes of cutlery-making took place. If the tenants are around you may be able to see into the forge (still with its original machine hammers), the vaulted grinding shop and the “lantern room”. The Works is steeped in history and was the place where the very first stainless steel knives were made and the same forge is still in use today.

You’ll see newly restored areas that our volunteers are working on. And then there’s the impressive rooftop view. We have a visitor room to end your tour where you can warm up, see our cutlery collection and learn more about the Works and its unbroken history of manufacturing. More recently the works has become home to a number of modern small craft industries and multiple artists and musicians (Def Leppard used to practice here!)

We’ve turned the corner from “serious dilapidation” to a decent working environment, although there’s still an awful lot to do. We’re proud to be preserving the essence of a 19th century factory.

Access and Information

We apologise that access is tricky. Portland Works is a busy working environment in a constant state of restoration and repair. Tenants and volunteers may be working in the yard when you visit so we need to be alert to moving vehicles, machinery and materials. As a Victorian factory building we have uneven surfaces, stone and metal outdoor steps and narrow staircases. We do make every effort to ensure as much access as possible, within the constraints of the building but please contact us ahead of the day (on 0114 275 9354) if you have questions – so we can talk through the arrangements together. If you are conerned about access you might want to watch this tour video on our website so that you know what to expect. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjuxMfPf7ig&t=1226s

As the tour is predominently outside please wear suitable clothing for the weather, including sensible shoes.

On street mostly metered parking. Please allow 2 hours for your for your visit.

The tours are free but donations towards our restoration work are always very welcome.

Portland Works
Randall Street
Sheffield
S2 4SJ