One of the best folk museums in the country.
Folk museums are cropping up all over the country. Some are better than others and Beamish must rank among the best with its mix of agricultural, industrial and social history. In fact, there is too much to see properly in a single visit and fortunately the ticket is valid for twelve months.
By the 1950s, the traditional industries and communities in the North East were declining and disappearing rapidly. Frank Atkinson, the director of the nationally renowned Bowes Museum at Barnard Castle, was very concerned about the loss of the region’s culture, traditions and heritage. He felt the region was in danger of losing its identity, what made it special and different to the rest of the country.
He proposed setting up a new museum, based on the idea of the Scandinavian Folk Museums, to bring the social history of the region to life. He wanted the museum to belong to the local population and feature items collected by them.
Atkinson was unusual in that he encourages a policy of ‘unselective collecting’, accepting anything and everything that was offered from steam locomotives to rolling pins. The storage space at the Bowes Museum was soon full, and a former British Army tank depot was taken over and its 22 hangers and huts was soon full too.
The museum still has huge warehouses stuffed full of potential exhibits and a bit like an Aladdin’s cave inside.
Beamish also has a large collection of photographs, old trade catalogues and an increasing collection of oral history recordings.
The museum opened in 1972 on a large reclaimed colliery site on the edge of the Durham Dales. Pockerley Old Hall and the 1940s farm were the only buildings on the site. The rest have been been rescued from around the region and carefully reassembled here. It is a huge site, occupying over 350 acres.
The countryside has been restored to a late C18th landscape. The buildings feel as if they have always been part of the scenery.
The 1900's pit village and railway station were the first to be built. These was quickly followed by the 1900s town and fairground
The home farm was next. This was originally a Victorian farm but later became a 1940s farm.
Pockerley Old Hall and the Pockerley Wagonway opened as part of the 1820s landscape.
The site is still growing and recently a 1950s town and houses has been added along with a 1950s upland farm.
The Transport Depot and Workshops have a fleet of trams and old buses that run a regular service around the site.
There are very knowledgeable costumed interpreters in the buildings.
This travel article has been compiled over several visits to Beamish from 2017 to 2025.
Index
#2 - 1820s landscape including Pockerley Old Hall and St Helen’s Church
#4 - 1900s colliery and pit village
#6 - 1900s town
#9 - Rowley Station
#10- 1940s farm
#12- 1950s town and upland farm
Website
cont...
Folk museums are cropping up all over the country. Some are better than others and Beamish must rank among the best with its mix of agricultural, industrial and social history. In fact, there is too much to see properly in a single visit and fortunately the ticket is valid for twelve months.
By the 1950s, the traditional industries and communities in the North East were declining and disappearing rapidly. Frank Atkinson, the director of the nationally renowned Bowes Museum at Barnard Castle, was very concerned about the loss of the region’s culture, traditions and heritage. He felt the region was in danger of losing its identity, what made it special and different to the rest of the country.
He proposed setting up a new museum, based on the idea of the Scandinavian Folk Museums, to bring the social history of the region to life. He wanted the museum to belong to the local population and feature items collected by them.
Atkinson was unusual in that he encourages a policy of ‘unselective collecting’, accepting anything and everything that was offered from steam locomotives to rolling pins. The storage space at the Bowes Museum was soon full, and a former British Army tank depot was taken over and its 22 hangers and huts was soon full too.
The museum still has huge warehouses stuffed full of potential exhibits and a bit like an Aladdin’s cave inside.
Beamish also has a large collection of photographs, old trade catalogues and an increasing collection of oral history recordings.
The museum opened in 1972 on a large reclaimed colliery site on the edge of the Durham Dales. Pockerley Old Hall and the 1940s farm were the only buildings on the site. The rest have been been rescued from around the region and carefully reassembled here. It is a huge site, occupying over 350 acres.
The countryside has been restored to a late C18th landscape. The buildings feel as if they have always been part of the scenery.
The 1900's pit village and railway station were the first to be built. These was quickly followed by the 1900s town and fairground
The home farm was next. This was originally a Victorian farm but later became a 1940s farm.
Pockerley Old Hall and the Pockerley Wagonway opened as part of the 1820s landscape.
The site is still growing and recently a 1950s town and houses has been added along with a 1950s upland farm.
The Transport Depot and Workshops have a fleet of trams and old buses that run a regular service around the site.
There are very knowledgeable costumed interpreters in the buildings.
This travel article has been compiled over several visits to Beamish from 2017 to 2025.
Index
#2 - 1820s landscape including Pockerley Old Hall and St Helen’s Church
#4 - 1900s colliery and pit village
#6 - 1900s town
#9 - Rowley Station
#10- 1940s farm
#12- 1950s town and upland farm
Website
cont...
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