Stepping back in time: living history at Beamish
How does it feel to step back in time and immerse ourselves in the world our parents, our grandparents, our great-grandparents knew? There are places where we can do just that, living museums that collate and preserve not just objects but the buildings that housed them and the environments in which those buildings sat.
One such place is Beamish, in north east England. Here is a farm of the 1940s, its soil tilled by Land Girls. Here is a 1900s pit village, complete with colliery and mine office. In one of the cottages a miner’s socks are drying in front of the range. And here is a whole street from a 1900s town, with dentist’s surgery, car workshop, Co-operative store, park with bandstand, and of course a pub!
On the streets of the town and village you will meet the locals, dressed in the everyday clothes of their time. They are happy to stop and chat, or pose for a photo. A tram might pass by, or an old bus, and if your legs are weary you can hop on board to be transported, literally, to another time and place.
So come with me on a journey back in time …
The 1940s farm
Let us start in wartime – the Second World War, which impacted greatly of course on daily life in this country, including in rural England.
Inside the farmhouse we can observe wartime family life. Food (made from rations) is cooking on the Aga; there is 1940s music and news broadcasts playing on the wireless; and we can see ‘make do and mend’ in action.
The adjoining cottages are home to a family of evacuees and some Land Girls. One of the latter is working outside in the kitchen garden as we pass by.
The 1900s town
Here we are introduced to life in a North East town in the years leading up to the First World War. We can go inside several shops, and in some we can make purchases: traditional sweets from Jubilee Confectioners; fresh-baked bread and cakes from Herron’s Bakery; and bath salts and cold creams made from original recipes at W Smith’s Chemist.
At the photographer’s studio you can, in ‘normal’ times, have your photo taken in the style of the time. At the moment you must be content with a peep inside at the darkroom and studio set-up.
The Co-op store was moved here from Annfield Plain in County Durham. It is stocked with groceries; household goods; clothes and fabrics to make your own; pots, pans and hardware.
You can buy a pint in the Sun Inn, and visit the Beamish Motor & Cycle Works, which featured in the popular TV series ‘Downton Abbey’ (opened by Tom Branson after he left his employment as a chauffeur).
Ravensworth Terrace originally stood in Gateshead. You can visit the dentist’s surgery, the music teacher’s house and the solicitor’s home and office.
The 1900s pit village
At the heart of the pit village is a terrace of cottages, Francis Street, which originally stood in Hetton-le-Hole on Wearside. They were built in the early 1860s by Hetton Coal Company. No.2 is a Methodist family’s home; in No.3 live a family of Irish descent; No.4 is home to a widow who lost her husband in a pit accident; and the Colliery Pay Office is at the end.
Nearby is the school-house, which originally opened in 1892 in East Stanley, a couple of miles from the museum.
We skipped the band-hall and chapel – there is just too much to see here for one visit. And we didn’t walk over to the actual colliery, knowing the mine itself was closed due to the pandemic.
Elsewhere we didn’t have time either to see the 1820s area, Pockerley, with its steam railway, tenant’s cottage, church and ‘big house’, so that’s something for a repeat visit. Plus, they are currently creating a 1950s terrace here and I’d love to go back to visit that. Although it’s a bit unnerving to realise that I’ll probably recognise many of the items in the houses from my childhood. When did my life become history?!
The people of Beamish
As we explored the various areas of the museum we came across costumed interpreters happy to pose for photos, which I have enjoyed editing to give a period look.
And I did the same with some of the vehicles, including the tram and buses.
I visited Beamish in 2021, when the Covid pandemic meant that there were fewer visitors around to disturb the illusion of past times. On the downside, there were no re-enactors inside the properties, to minimise the risk of large groups gathering.
29 Comments
Nancy Gordon
Looks like a wonderful and educational place thank to the costumed interpreters. I love the old vehicles and I know I’ll be hopping off and on a few. Thanks for the sneak peak, I look forward to being there in person 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
You’re going to love it, and you’ll want to take those buses as the different areas are very spread out!
the eternal traveller
What a fabulous and extensive living history museum this is. I really like it when there are people playing the part of the residents too. It really brings the whole experience to life. We have a wonderful place in Victoria, very similar to this, set in the time of the gold rush. Thanks for the link to this post.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you for popping over to check this out 🙂 Yes, I love this sort of museum and the ‘living history’ enactors definitely add to the experience of visiting. There were fewer than usual due to Covid restrictions but it was great to see the ones that were here!
rkrontheroad
Wonderfully preserved history. You have captured the feel of the place, going back in time for sure.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Ruth, they have indeed done a great job of preservation here, and continue to do so 🙂
maristravels
I’m playing catch-up with your blogs. You show Beamish well in this blog, I’ve been there a coupe of times and this is just what it’s likie.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank for playing catch-up 😀 The main difference at Beamish at the moment is that they don’t have interpreters INSIDE the buildings. One of them explained to us that if they did that it would attract too large a group of people to linger close together inside. Also, a few smaller buildings are still closed. On the plus side, it is quieter than usual so easier to avoid people in modern dress spoiling the illusion in the photos!
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Amy
That is an enjoyable tour, Sarah! The place is very well preserved. Thank you for sharing with us.
Sarah Wilkie
Glad you enjoyed the tour Amy 🙂
Dhirendra.S.Chauhan
That was a great treat to the eyes as you took us back in time on a virtual tour to the 1900s pit village & 1940 Beamish town!Through the photos,we could visit the House farm,farm houses.cottages,motor & cycle works,photograghers studio,school teachers house,workshops,maids room,chocolate store &the Groceries store(where I could see Lifebuoy bathing soap on the racks which is still popular in India).I really loved the post& enjoyed the visit though a virtual one!Thanks for sharing, Sarah 😊
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks!
thehungrytravellers.blog
Fascinating Sarah. Its so interesting, would love to visit these places ourselves, loved the photos
Sarah Wilkie
It IS a fascinating place to visit, certainly worthwhile if you’re ever in the area 🙂
Nancy Gordon
I’ve never seen a town and reenactments done on such a large scale. It looks like a wonderful place to visit. I also like the period of time being reenacted so you can image what it was like even better. My favorite are the old vehicles, they’re all in such good condition. It would be fun to ride in a tram or bus.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Nancy – it was a great place for our VT outing as there’s something for everyone here! We may try to tack an extra day on to the meet next May to come here so if you manage to get over you could join us perhaps? I think you’d love it!
Tanja
Very interesting.the only similar place I have ever visited was a National Folklore open musem in Oslo where they had houses from different periods and a regions and a reconstructed town center from 19th
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Tanja – it does sound as if that place in Oslo has some similarities with Beamish. I’ve been to folklore museums elsewhere too that are broadly similar, although of course the buildings vary according to location.
Anonymous
Fun.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Donna 🙂
Rose
These kinds of places are so profoundly educational to visit. It’s a fun experiment; trying to deeply imagine what life was like, and then try to guess what the future may hold based on how things have changed, from then to now. And it is weird to look at ‘history’ and see things from your own life, indicating we may be older than we realized? This happened to me at the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum. And as MARGARET21 mentioned – her grandson dressing up for a ‘history’ project about the 1980’s – wasn’t that just a few years ago?
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Rose. I think one thing that’s apparent in these places is how much faster the speed of change is now compared to, say, the mid 20th century. There were things in the 1940s cottages that looked familiar to me and my similarly aged friends, even though none of us was born until the next decade. I wonder how many designs from the 2000s are still around, unchanged, today?
margaret21
I love that place! And a return visit is well overdue. As you say, well over a day is needed, so I’m planning next year sometime to stay up that way with the grandchildren who will probably be as fascinated with the story told as my own children were. And as you say, our own lives apparently incorporate much that’s now become ‘history’. (My grandson recently had to go to school dressed up a la 1980s for a history – history! – project)
Sarah Wilkie
Late 1980s as history – now that’s a scary thought! I can deal with my 60s childhood being considered so but not anything much later 😆 I hope you’ll enjoy your stay next year and look forward to reading about your experiences in due course 🙂
margaret21
You should worry. I have a 50s childhood. Does that make me pre-historic?
Sarah Wilkie
Well mine was partly in the 50s but I don’t remember that bit so well!
Yvonne Dumsday
A wonderful recreation of the day we spent at Beamish, with items you mention that completely passed me by – so many thanks for “filling in the gaps”. I shall take more note of what I missed when I make my return visit (the joy of having annual pass).
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Yvonne 🙂 It’s possible you saw things that passed me by too, as we went around in separate little groups. Glad you enjoyed our day there!