Learn all about Northumberland’s mining, fishing, farming and leather making heritage
Once the largest pit village in the world, Ashington is now home to Woodhorn Museum – a former working pit with a proud and dramatic industrial past. Learn more about the North East’s coal mining heritage and local history.
Explore Northumberland’s proud fishing, farming and leather making industries across our museums too, and make a date to discover our Industrial History Collections on your next visit. What will you learn next?
We’re proud to show Northumberland’s industrial past, including its extensive mining history – sharing stories of close-knit pit communities, mining disasters and the impact of heavy industry on the natural landscape.
Let our collections give you a fascinating insight into the industry that shaped Northumberland into what it is today.
Don’t miss our fishing and farming exhibits including a full-size Fishing Coble boat, a fording box (a hut on stilts formerly used by Salmon fisherman to spot fish coming up stream) and sweet making equipment from celebrated local confectioner, Cowes, which was used to create Berwick Cockles.
Learn all about Hexham’s proud leather making traditions. Did you know the former market town was renowned for making Hexham Tans? These were coloured gloves which were sold worldwide from the 1600s to the early 20th Century.
There’s more to our industrial heritage than first meets the eye, so enjoy a trip to one of our museums today.
Please note that not all of the collections in the care of Museums Northumberland are on public display. If you’d like to see an object in the collections please get in touch with us using the online enquiry form.