The Weardale Museum & High House Chapel
The Weardale Museum & High House Chapel
The Weardale Museum & High House Chapel
5
1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Monday
1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Friday
1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Sunday
1:00 PM - 4:30 PM
About
The Weardale Museum is a volunteer run charity in Ireshopeburn, County Durham. It is a small cottage museum which occupies the house next to an old Methodist Chapel. The Museum collection tells the story of the lead-mining people and also their encounters with John Wesley. The chapel is being renovated to create an enlarged Museum and Heritage Centre. The trustees encourage visitors to touch and interact with many of the fascinating objects in their Weardale Kitchen. Durham quilts and a beautifully embroidered tapestry of Weardale History are among the highlights of a visit as well as the collection of sparkling crystals and minerals from the nearby lead mines. For those interested in family history we offer a huge database of over 70,000 Weardale people. Our season starts at the Easter weekend and then we are open From May 1st to October 31st. Check our website for details of the hours and days of opening.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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5.0
36 reviews
Excellent
31
Very good
4
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Andrew R
United Kingdom33 contributions
Oct 2022
What a lovely little museum with more items than you can imagine. This is what a real museum should look like. There is something for everyone with item you can hold and touch to beautiful cased items.
Go back in time and see what our ancestors used in every day living in the Weardale area.
The museum is small but packed with items to cover all aspects of living in the past.
Well worth having a look.
Go back in time and see what our ancestors used in every day living in the Weardale area.
The museum is small but packed with items to cover all aspects of living in the past.
Well worth having a look.
Written 27 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lunarscott
London, UK31 contributions
Oct 2022 • Family
Great for learning about the varied history of both the chapel and the area. Activities for children. Access to historical records for tracing local family. Very vivid and illustrative displays. Can't wait for the chapel itself to reopen. A real gem.
Written 26 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jacqui J
Preston, UK7 contributions
Aug 2021
I became aware of the musuem and chapel from Facebook and took the opportunity to visit whilst in Durham visiting family. It was a beautiful drive to get there. I was last there in the 1980s on a school trip. I really enjoyed spending an hour looking at the exhibits (especially the rag rugs that my grandma used to make) and reading about how Methodism came to the dales. I look forward to visiting again when the chapel space is finished.
Written 20 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Expl0rer007
Meltham, UK230 contributions
Sep 2020
With covid affecting all sorts of places these days. we were unable to visit the Weardale Museum itself as so many of the volunteers are elderly and, therefore, at risk. But, we were able - socially-distanced, of course - to look around the attached chapel which, until literally a year ago, was the oldest continually-attended Methodist chapel in England (potential plans are afoot to resume). If, like me, you have a passion for interesting churches, then this is one to see. If it lacks the age, wall-monuments and nooks and crannies of so many ancient Anglican churches, it more than makes up for that in the immense power and drive emanating from the commanding pulpit which was, and is, the very centre of the Methodist ministry, with the attendant pews like so many sheep arranged and eager to listen to the word of the minister. An arresting chapel, and one listed in Simon Jenkins' 1000. Worthwhile if in Co Durham.
Written 13 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
CJ Linton
Bishop Auckland, UK32 contributions
Feb 2020 • Business
Visited as part of a team building day with work.
Excellent presentation from the staff followed by a visit to the exceptional little museum in the attached manse. Certainly know more about Methodism now than I once did and also a fact which might come in handy for where I currently work.
Would love to go back with family.
Excellent presentation from the staff followed by a visit to the exceptional little museum in the attached manse. Certainly know more about Methodism now than I once did and also a fact which might come in handy for where I currently work.
Would love to go back with family.
Written 25 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Barbara B
Bishop Auckland, UK18 contributions
Jun 2019 • Friends
We spent a couple of hours here it was so interesting to be able to see and touch some of the things that were commonplace in homes in the area not too many years in the past, some I could remember my childhood home having, such as the huge set of drawers with glass cabinet on top, upstairs and down is filled with local items and information and I thought the tribute to fallen soldiers was lovely. My sister and I were able to donate a teapot that had been in the family for over 100 years and are glad that it will be there for the future for people to see and admire. The chapel next door is so peaceful and interesting and it's good that you are able to take your time to look round upstairs and down, finally there is a long and lovely walk behind the museum to see and enjoy some of the countryside around. A lovely trip in all and well worth the £3 entrance fee.
Written 26 June 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jill G
Albuquerque, NM37 contributions
Sep 2018 • Couples
I am an American who has researched my genealogy, trying to learn more about my English ancestors for many years. I've discovered many far-flung relatives in the US, also descending from John Atkinson and Martha Miller of Stanhope, England. Amazingly, all of us had the same family lore: that our great great grandfather played with a band that performed in the Crystal Palace. But we never got the whole story about who they were and how and why we ended up in America. Until we connected with Ken Heatherington of the Weardale Museum. He had all the intertwined names of my ancestors, their stories and relationships. I can't say how much I appreciate the Weardale Museum helping us solve ancestral mysteries and giving faces and personalities to our ancestors who, before this, were only names on a chart.
Written 18 September 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you Jill, we are so pleased to be able to help you to resolve the mystery surrounding your UK ancestors.
Written 18 September 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Madalyn H
Huddersfield, UK1,902 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
An interesting local museum with a good range of interesting material regarding life in the area during the early mining and industrial period. Chapel is vast and very interesting. Much more decorated than usual for a Methodist Chapel. Very kind and helpful volunteer staff
Written 22 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for your review Madalyn it is much appreciated. For such a small village the chapel is indeed vast. At the height of the lead-mining boom there was a much bigger population and in 1851 when a religious census was carried out nationwide it was recorded that over 900 people attended on 31st March, with 600 at the afternoon service. The highly decorated entertainments organ originated from Sunderland but was removed after a terrible accident their where 183 children died. Apart from the fretwork on the pulpit and the marble painted columns we like to think that the chapel is quite plain. Our venture next door in the Museum is completely volunteer run and our staff will be please to read your kind comments.
Written 23 August 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
benedict409
County Durham, UK16 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
A great little gem of a museum. Bargain at £3 per adult. The place is tiny but stuffed with so many interesting items I could have spent all day there looking through the photo albums. There is internet access for searches and touch screen information points to keep children engaged . Also a mouse hunt for younger children (and adults too!).
The visit was made extra interesting due to the enthusiasm of Liz the volunteer who showed us around, she was a wealth of fascinating facts and stories. Go and support this lovely place,
The visit was made extra interesting due to the enthusiasm of Liz the volunteer who showed us around, she was a wealth of fascinating facts and stories. Go and support this lovely place,
Written 5 August 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for your comments which we hope will bring others to our door. We don't actually have internet access - our search facility for family history and for our 'Virtual Museum' screen run from internal databases. I'll tell our volunteer, Liz, how much you appreciated her help.
Written 7 August 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Carolyn G
48 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
Little in the size of the building but not in the amount of information available! Lots of family history resources, info about the lead mining in the area, Wesleyism & general everyday life. You can also have a lot at the adjoining Chapel.
Knowledgeable & helpful staff.
Knowledgeable & helpful staff.
Written 26 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for your kind review. We are pleased that you enjoyed your visit and able to make use of our Family History resource. I will convey your message to the volunteers who work so hard to make your visits enjoyable.
Written 27 July 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Claim your listingTHE WEARDALE MUSEUM & HIGH HOUSE CHAPEL: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about The Weardale Museum & High House Chapel
- The Weardale Museum & High House Chapel is open:
- Sun - Sat 13:00 - 16:30
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- (0.85 mi) Chatterbox Cafe
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