Not the Amish, I must proclaim.
An open air museum in County Durham, out on the A693. A historic era re-constructed in a modern world, re-connecting the umbilical cord with the past. This scenic village or town if you like, will keep you on your feet for the largest part of the day. There is just so much too see. Worth every pound. Luckily for me, I live close enough to exercise my season ticket on a regular basis, enabling me to learn more about this vast historic landscape, riddled with beauty.
Here you will experience the industrious toiling of the early 19th century coal miners. Where fathers and sons shoulder together in dark damp explosive pits. Definitely no time for computers, mobile phones, ‘faceboogering’ or any other online social activities. Just hard graft, poor wages and early deaths. On a less gloomy side there is the Beamish Town, filled with numerous shops… a Barclays bank, a Masonic Hall, a sweet sweets shop… I was actually amazed at the number of visitors the Masonic Hall received.
Life was so simple back then, I thought. An era not contaminated with modern stress devices or crude online personas. As I was standing there making a comment about the simple era, a young girl over heard me and replied: “Remember there were also no digital cameras”. For a moment I thought about it. Back then rudimentary cameras played a significant role. Allowing future generations to visually except (or not) past events. And this is how we experience museums today, not only the outdated and defunct equipment but also the written and the visual printed imagery. The most prominent thing about this place was the different smells in the array of small shops, enhancing the old photographs and items on display, of an era long gone.
Beamish sprinkles a calm feeling over me (like when I’m at the motor racing circuit), a place filled with all kinds of mind boggling equipment and life without the rat-race-tag stigma. A vast place, with a navigable, seemingly round route, trams, a railroad infrastructure and a relic bus service. This was of course my first memorable tram ride. Somewhere in the back of my mind is a vague memory of a bus ride, some 22 years ago… my first day of employment, I think.
The old cars (the visible few) surely caught my attention in the workshop. But also the rusted enamel baked advertising signs, outside. If you are interested in reconnecting with history, or just to spend a family day outside, then Beamish will give you that “beam”. If you need a break from modern society or just to air out the old soul, then this small scenic town is the next best stop. Beamish, it was liberating!!!
• Click here to view a few “Beamish” photographs. Or here to visit the "Willem Prinsloo agricultural museum", in South Africa.
‘Till next time
Regards
Adriaan Venter
2010/04/09
