1820s Pockerley

NOW OPEN! Joe the Quilter’s Cottage

The cottage is a recreation of the “lost” home of renowned Georgian quilter Joseph Hedley, who was murdered in 1826, in an appalling crime that shocked the nation. The cottage features stones from Joe’s original home, including flagstones where he stood 200 years ago. The remains of Joe’s cottage in Warden, near Hexham, Northumberland, were uncovered during an archaeological dig by Beamish staff and community members. The exhibit, which tells the story of quilting and the growth of cottage industries in the early 1800s, has been painstakingly recreated by skilled museum staff. A drawing on a postcard that was produced after Joe’s murder gave valuable details about how his home – which was demolished in 1872 – looked. Click here to find out about the story of Joe the Quilter’s cottage.

Pockerley Old Hall

Visit the ‘new house’ – the home of the tenant farmer – and the ‘old house’, which dates back to at least the 1440s. Look out for traditional Georgian cooking and craft activities.

Pockerley Gardens

This beautiful terraced garden features Georgian-era plants, herbs and vegetables, which can often be sampled in recipes cooked in the hall.

Pockerley Waggonway

Take a steam train ride at the Waggonway, which tells the story of the birth of the railways, and is home to replica engines Locomotion No.1, the Steam Elephant and Puffing Billy.

Georgian Landscape

Take a walk through the picturesque landscape, as you step back into the Georgian era, with its dry stone walling, riven oak fences, and traditional breeds of animal. The horse-powered whim gin would have been used to raise coal and men out of the mines. Look out for the gibbet looming in the distance.

St Helen’s Church

Nestling in the Georgian landscape is this beautiful medieval church, St Helen’s, from Eston, near Middlesbrough. The church was due to be demolished due to vandalism until it was saved and rebuilt at the Museum.