Members of the public are invited to go behind the scenes at some of North Tyneside's most interesting venues when Heritage Open Days returns in September.
An annual celebration of England's architecture and culture, the programme allows visitors free access to local landmarks that are either not usually open to the public or would normally charge an entrance fee.
From September 10-19, dozens of heritage sites across the borough open their doors to the public and offer a range of activities.
The programme aims to build on the ambition to regrow cultural activities in North Tyneside as part of the recovery from the Covid 19 pandemic.
Full listings can be found here.
Explore North Shields Heritage Action Zone
- Monday 13 September, 2.30pm-3.30pm.
Enjoy a short walk, starting at The Exchange, to discover more about the buildings, streets and spaces of North Shields Heritage Action Zone. This is a four-year programme of conservation, community and cultural activities, aiming to revitalise the Northumberland Square Conservation Area, which includes Howard Street and Northumberland Square.
It is led by North Tyneside Council in partnership with Historic England.
Heritage Skills Coordinator, Elanor Johnson, will lead the walk around the Heritage Action Zone sharing knowledge about the buildings, streets and public spaces and highlighting how careful repair and conservation work can make a difference to the local area.
Pre-booking required.
The Exchange Theatre and North Shields Heritage
The Exchange has partnered with North Shields Heritology Project, Remembering the Past and VODA to deliver a programme of activities. An art exhibition of Steps, Pubs and Cinemas of historic North Shields by local artist Jack Shotton will run throughout the week. Other displays include the History of The Saville Exchange and architect John Dobson and the Heritage Action Zone's future plans for Howard Street and Northumberland Square.
Sunday 12th/ Monday 13th, include a talk by local historian Dave Young about Artist/Photographer Lyd Sawyer and other influential North Shields Artists, followed by a 'hands on' tech session including Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Green Screening by North Shields Heritology Project. Tuesday 14th, there will be a presentation by VODA, called, North Shields Past, Present and Community. Wednesday 15th, Remembering the Past will give a talk called Gannin Shoppin in Shields, find out about the lost shops of Shields and the wonderful things they sold, followed by a Memory Cafe. Thursday 16th is a screening of the short film, Port of The Tyne with full colour archive footage from the 1960's. Sunday 19th discover The 'C' Word by Author and poet Sue Miller.
Stephenson Steam Railway
- Workshop Tours - Saturday 11 September: 11am, 1pm, 3pm
A behind-the-scenes tour at Stephenson Steam Railway. Everything you ever wanted to know about maintaining vintage engines and trains.
- Free Heritage Train Rides - Sunday 12 September: 11.15am, 12.30pm, 2pm, 3pm
A four mile return trip following the route of the coal trains from the collieries to the River Tyne behind a vintage locomotive in 1950s passenger carriages.
After train rides or workshop tour visitors can visit the museum which is home to Killingworth Billy (the third oldest steam locomotive in the world!) and re-live the glorious days of the steam railway.
George and Robert Stephenson spent 20 years in North Tyneside developing their pioneering ideas which helped spread railways and locomotives around the world. Today the museum celebrates their achievement. Animated film and displays explore how trains work and the impact on peoples’ lives of coal and electricity, crucial in the development of railway power.
The museum is home to:
- The early George Stephenson locomotive 'Billy' - built in Newcastle around 1816 and used for hauling coal. The world's third oldest surviving steam locomotive
- Steam and diesel locomotives used on Tyneside and elsewhere from as early as the 1880s
- An electrically-powered parcels van of 1904 from the pioneering Tyneside suburban electric railway system
- An electric locomotive - built in 1909 for use on a colliery line
- A fleet of passenger coaches from the 1950s
Segedunum Roman Fort, Museum and Baths
- Guided Tours - Saturday 11 & 18th September: 11am, 2pm. Pre-booking required.
- Free Museum entry - Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th September: 10am - 4pm & Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th September: 10am-4pm. No booking required.
An opportunity to discover the ancient site of Segedunum on the banks of the River Tyne, near the old Wallsend slipway. Travel nine stories high to the legendary 35m Viewing Tower and take in spectacular views across the city and river.
In AD 122, the Emperor Hadrian ordered a mighty frontier system to be built across Britain, designed to consolidate and define the Empire and help protect against raiding parties from the north.The result was Hadrian's Wall, a 73 mile barrier stretching from the River Tyne in the east to the Solway Firth in the west. Segedunum, which means ‘Strong Fort’, was built to guard the eastern end of the Wall, and housed 600 Roman soldiers. It stood for almost 300 years as a symbol of Roman rule and a bastion against barbarian attack.
Today, Segedunum is once again a major site on Hadrian's Wall. It is the most excavated fort along the Wall with surviving foundations of many buildings and part of the Wall itself. There is a large interactive museum plus full-scale reconstructions of a bath house (currently viewed externally only) and a section of Wall. The 35 metre high viewing tower provides outstanding views across this World Heritage Site.
Gelato Ice Cream tasting – Molten Gallery and Cafe
Picking up the national HODs theme of ‘Edible England’ Molten Gallery and Cafe in Clifford’s Fort present an extra-ordinary tasting of gelato ice cream made in a scheduled monument, with ingredients from some of the historic and foraged foods and spices from near the Fish Quay North Shields and further afield. Saturday 18th September at 11am.
Fish Quay History (official and unofficial) told by Fisherman John Innes
A short walk and talk around the present day Fish Quay North Shields to bring alive the historic characters and goings-on in this eventful location. Saturday 11th September at 11am.
Church talks and tours
North Tyneside has a multiple of churches with unique features, histories and heritage and some stunning stained glass. The following churches have registered for this year’s programme:
- St. Alban’s Church, Earsdon- Saturday 18th 10-5pm/Sunday 19th September. 12-5pm
- St John’s Church, Killingworth - Saturday18th September 10-4pm
- St Columbas Church RC, Wallsend – Saturday 18th September 10-4pm
- St Luke’s Church, Wallsend- Saturday 11th & 18th September 10-3pm
- Christ Church, North Shields - Saturday 18th 10-4pm/Sunday 19th September. 12.30-5pm
- St Augustin’s Church, North Shields - Saturday11th September 10-4pm
- St George’s Church, Cullercoats – Saturday 11th & 18th and Sunday 12th & 19th September 9.30 – 5pm.
- St Peter’s Church in Wallsend will be part of this year’s programme in North Tyneside – Saturday 11th and 18th, 10am-4pm
Other participating heritage venues in the borough include:
- Old Low Light Heritage Centre - Saturday11th September 10-3pm
- Tynemouth Volunteer Brigade Watch House - Saturday11th September 10-3pm
- St Mary’s Lighthouse and Visitor Centre – Friday 10th 10.30-3.30pm, Sat 11th 10.30-4pm, Sunday 12th September 10.30-5pm.
- Ballards Smoke House -Re-developed into the ‘windscreen building’ on the Fish Quay North Shields – Tours 10-3pm, Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th September.
- The Creation of Tynemout World War One Memorial Garden – Open daily 11-2pm (Sunday 12th & 19th September, 12-2pm.)
Full details of all this years Heritage Open Days programme are available from the National HODs website.
