Drive and Stroll, with Ron Freethy - this week, visiting Pilkington's in St Helens

ONE of the most basic materials of the modern world is glass.

Pilkington's glass museum is open free of charge and is in the midst of a huge factory complex.

The museum is well signed and is located on the A58 between St Helens and Prescot.

From East Lancashire, turn off the M6 at junction 23 and head for St Helens.

From the car park I followed the path to the museum, which crosses a small reservoir overlooked by factory offices and containing a graceful fountain.

This produced the effect of an ancient palace rather than a hive of industry.

Even the smoking chimneys have a charm of their own, especially when reflected in the windows of the high buildings.

Local people has arrived to feed the ducks in the lake of this "crystal palace" and among the flock of mallard were a few pochard, tufted duck, a drake goldeneye and a cormorant diving for fish.

The presence of anglers under the umbrellas confirmed that there was plenty for the cormorant to eat.

The history of glass is explained from the time of the Egyptians to modern times and even beyond as suggestions are remade regarding trends in technology.

There is a special section on the laser, which derives its name from initials of Light Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation.

A beam of light is focused by a lens onto a tiny area, thus producing enough concentrated heat to cut through steel. In the 16th century glass was described as a "concrete of salt and sand or stones.

It is made by melting together the naturally-occurring materials sand (containing silicon), sodium carbonate (produced from sea water) and limestone (calcium carbonate).

Although sophisticated and ingenious variations have been developed since, the basic techniques have changed little.

It was soon discovered that adding potash produced by burning plants could substantially reduce the melting point of silica to a workable 900C.

From the time of the ancient Egyptians, glass manufacture has been important and it was found that excellent glassware could be produced by cutting or grinding away at solid blocks or by pouring molten glass into a mould.

Impurities or other minerals deliberately added meant that coloured glass was easier to produce than transparent glass and came 1,000 years earlier.

Window glass developed late in the history of glass production.

The most fundamental of all developments came as the Roman Empire was reaching its peak - the art and science of glass-blowing.

The Venetians of the 15th and 16th centuries were the best exponents of blending art with science and some of the pieces produced at this time are among the most sought-after artefacts in the art world.

Glass bottles and flagons were at first so difficult to produce and brought such high prices that only the rich could afford them. The museum also has an exhibition of stained glass, which in medieval churches took the place of our television. Bible stories could be told to those who could not read by the use of beautiful pictures in the glass of the parish church.

Stained glass is not only used in churches but also in advertisements for a wide variety of goods, including drink, soap and boot polish.

There are displays showing how Pilkingtons developed plate glass between 1923 and 1937, optical glass and its use in cameras, lighthouses and instruments such as telescopes, microscopes and a working submarine telescope which children love to operate.

The use of glass equipment in chemical, physical and biological laboratories is well illustrated.

There is a wonderful example of a Georgian glass chandelier and it is said that toughened glass was first discovered by Prince Rupert of the Rhine, who was not just a military general but also an accomplished scientist.

He dropped molten glass into water and found that it produced pear-shaped globules with surprising strength.

There are many examples of Frigger work, which is coloured glass sculpted into intricate shapes of ships, birds, flowers and other exotic things.

Take your time to soak up the history of one of the world's oldest industries.

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