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Have you ever wondered how a building is moved, brick by brick, then rebuilt to look exactly as it did in 1913? Or how the interior of a period building is researched, then furnished exactly as it should be?

Beamish brings together old buildings from all parts of the region, buildings which would otherwise not have survived.  Find out how buildings are prepared for deconstruction stone by stone, so that they can be re-built at Beamish, or how the magnificent interiors are re-created to show you what life was like in Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian times here in the North East.

•    How are buildings re-built exactly as they were before their move to Beamish?
•    How do we know what colour to paint the walls?
•    Where does the furniture come from, and the paintings, ornaments and soft furnishings?

Deconstructing and Moving Buildings to Beamish

Open air museums are very different from traditional museums in that they collect not only objects, but also the original buildings in which they were used. Great thought is put into deciding which buildings should and can be moved to the site. Once a building has been selected, much will depend upon funding initiatives to allow a project to go ahead, and also:

•    Whether the building is typical of the region
•    Whether its construction will allow it to be moved
•    How it will fit in with the museum’s overall development plan

Current and Future Projects

2011 -St Helen’s Church, Eston

Work is underway on the latest project at Beamish, rebuilding St Helen’s Church from Eston, Cleveland in the museum’s Georgian landscape.

There had been a church on the site of St Helen’s since at least the 12th century, possibly even earlier. According to registers, St Helen’s served as a Parish Church from Medieval times, until 1884 when a larger church was built nearby. In 1889 St Helen’s became a cemetery chapel. With rapid population growth, St Helen’s was returned to parochial status in the early 1920s as the Church of Teesville, an early 20th century development, until a new church was built.

The last parochial service was held in the church on December 30th 1962. It then resumed its earlier role as cemetery chapel, the last funeral was held around 1985. The Church suffered increasingly from vandalism and by 1987, was ‘in a critical state of disrepair’. It suffered a serious fire in December 1992, which destroyed the roofs.

Despite its listed building status and the efforts to protect it, the destruction continued. The vestry was illegally demolished and stonework stolen and much of the chancel arch and parts of the medieval chancel were being pulled down. Furnishings, such as the font and medieval cross were stolen. The Tudor stained glass was smashed out and stolen and the mid 19th century cast iron chancel window was pulled out for scrap.

In early 1998, despite the fact that this was a Grade II listed building, the local authority and English Heritage gave permission for the church to be deconstructed by Beamish and transferred to the museum. The deconstruction took place in autumn that year, with every block numbered and stored on palettes, whilst the remaining rubble of the building fabric was taken by skip. Around 200 carved stones were retrieved in total.

In early 2011, after months of sorting and renumbering the stonework on the pallets, the foundations were dug next to Pockerley Old Hall and work is ongoing to rebuild St Helen's to its former glory. St. Helen’s Church is certainly the oldest building that Beamish has ever moved.

2011/2012 Hetton Silver Band Hall

In early 2011, Hetton Silver Band Hall was donated to Beamish Museum, and plans are currently underway to rebuild the Hall here in the Pit Village.

The Hetton Silver Band was founded on April 1st 1887. A piece of land in South Market Street, Hetton-le-Hole was purchased from Hetton Coal Company for £25.00 and a tin practice hut for the band was built. This was superseded by a brick band hall on the same site around 1912. Interestingly the brick hall was erected around the original hut, then the tin hut was dismantled and brought out through the doors of the new building!

The Band Hall fell into disuse in 2010 and stood empty until it was donated to Beamish by the Band earlier this year. It has now been dismantled and has been taken brick by brick to the Museum, where it will be re-erected in Pit Village once funds have been raised.

If you would like further information about the Hetton Silver Band Hall appeal or would like to donate please contact Lisa Wilkinson at Beamish Museum, telephone 0191 370 4017.

2011/2012 The Bakery

In the Beamish Town, you may have noticed the large lonely building opposite the Masonic Lodge. Work has now started to transform this building into a Beamish Bakery!

Past Projects

2011- Tea Room Ramp

The new Accesible Tea Rooms ramp has now been completed in the Town which allows easier access to the recently refurbished Tea Rooms for visitors, particularly wheelchair and pushchair users.

Built with re-claimed bricks, the ramp is an attractive new architectural feature in Redman Park. Visitors can admire the clever brickwork, the magnificent lamps, and show-stopping red and gold wrought-iron archway that mark the new entrance to the Tea Room.

Another note-worthy feature is the plaque of Edward VII, commemorating his Coronation in 1902. A similar plaque can be seen of his mother, Queen Victoria, on Jubilee Confectionary accross the street.

2011- Davy’s Fried Fish

Named after the Davy Brothers who owned a Fish and Chip Shop at Winlaton Mill near Gateshead, the Beamish Fish and Chip Shop is located in the Pit Village.

Made with beef-dripping, the favourite frying medium of the north east, Beamish fish and chips are not to be missed!

Davy’s is designed to show visitors how the Fried Fish Industry developed from the Victorian, with three ranges dating from 1890-1934. The youngest of these, the 1934 Nuttall Range, with a striking glass panelled back is assumed to be the last working coal fired range in the region. Along with the shop counter, the Nuttall Range was purchased from the Davy Brothers from their shop in Winlaton Mill, and was still selling coal-fired fish and chips until it closed in 2007.

The walls of Davy’s Fried Fish are adorned with beautiful tiles made by Duncan & Son of Glasgow, and were collected by Beamish in 1979 from Cowes Fish and Game Shop on Marygate, Berwick upon Tweed.

You can enjoy your fish and chips in the cosy atmosphere of the Saloon which adjoins the main brick building, or if the weather permits we have alfresco seating too.