Southburn Archaeological Museum

About the museum

The collection began in the early 1960s, when Brian Hebblewhite, a tractor driver on Southburn farm, repeatedly found pottery and other artefacts in the fields. Hull Museum identified many of them as Romano-British and some as older. With the support of the farm owner, John Rymer, Brian, his wife Val and their daughter Ann carried out extensive work on the farm, including excavation, helped by local archaeologists.

In 2005 the Southburn Archaeological Museum project was set up, with the agreement of Tim Rymer of JSR Farms, to make the collection available to the public. The museum opened formally in July 2008. It first used redundant farrowing sheds, and metal detectorists and local people have since added finds. In 2010 the British Museum lent a full-size replica Iron Age chariot based on the Wetwang burial of the so-called Chariot Queen.

The museum is run by volunteers and is now in a building at JSR Farming on Green Lane, just outside Nafferton. Its displays cover about 6,000 years, and in 2015 it added an Iron Age exhibition on swords, spears and skeletons. A large activity room lets visitors handle real artefacts and try out ancient crafts.

Highlights

• Finds from the Yorkshire Wolds from the Neolithic to the 20th century
• Iron Age exhibition with a reconstruction of the Kirkburn warrior grave
• Replica Iron Age chariot lent by the British Museum
• Large hands-on activity room for all ages

Permanent exhibitions

• Display Room – Artefacts from Southburn and the surrounding Wolds, from Neolithic flint tools to mid-20th-century finds, including medieval coins and Viking gold.
• Iron Age East Yorkshire: Swords, Spears and Skeletons – An exhibition on Iron Age burial rites and craftsmanship of the Parisi tribe, with a reconstruction of the Kirkburn warrior grave.

Founded

2008

Operated by

Volunteers (supported by JSR Farms)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

There is no fixed charge. A donation of £5.00 is suggested, plus £1.00 extra for visits with hands-on pottery activities.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum is on one level, with access for wheelchairs and mobility scooters, and two hearing loop devices are available. An access policy can be downloaded from the museum website.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

The activity room lets visitors handle real artefacts, try to date pottery sherds, spin and weave on a warp-weighted loom, grind corn on a replica quern stone, play ancient board games and make a Roman mosaic. Colouring sheets and puzzles are available for younger visitors.

Getting there & parking

Coming from Driffield on the A614, do not take the first right turn, because that road is busy and fast. Continue to the roundabout and turn right onto New Road.

Amenities & dining

• Restaurant: not available

Toilets and washing facilities are available, but there are no meal facilities. The museum is on a working farm.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit