Thirsk Museum

About the museum

Thirsk Museum was established in 1975 to preserve and show objects that tell the story of the people who lived in the area, and it opened to the public two years later. It is housed in 14–16 Kirkgate, the building where Thomas Lord was born in 1755. Lord moved to London as a young man, became a wine merchant and was asked by a cricket club to find a ground; the club, later renamed the Marylebone Cricket Club, played its first match on his site near Dorset Square in 1787, and in 1814 settled at its present home in St John's Wood. The museum lies opposite The World of James Herriot, close to the surgery where the author and vet worked.

The museum is a registered charity staffed entirely by volunteers. Its rooms show local life and industry, with cricket memorabilia in the Thomas Lord Room, a farming room that includes a display on the agricultural engineers Bamlett's, a Victorian cottage kitchen and bedroom, toys, costume, wartime displays and archaeological finds from Thirsk and its castle.

Among its best-known objects are the bones of the Saxon Giant and the Busby Stoop Chair, linked with a 1702 murder and a curse. The museum is also home to Thirsk Museum Society, which organises talks in spring and autumn.

Highlights

• Thomas Lord Room with cricket memorabilia
• The Busby Stoop Chair and its curse
• Bones of the Saxon Giant
• Cottage kitchen, Victorian bedroom and farming room
• Wartime displays, including No. 433 Squadron

Permanent exhibitions

• Thomas Lord Room – A tribute to Thomas Lord, born in the building, with cricket memorabilia.
• The Busby Stoop Chair – The legend of the chair said to be cursed by Thomas Busby in 1702, after a dispute that ended in murder.
• Farming Room and Bamlett's – Agricultural and dairy tools, animal traps and a blacksmith's display evoke farming in the 1930s and 1940s, with an exhibition on the engineering firm Bamlett's.

Founded

1975

Operated by

Thirsk Museum (registered charity)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free; donations towards the running costs are welcome, and Gift Aid forms are available.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

There is a ramped entrance to the ground floor for wheelchair users, but the first floor can only be reached by narrow stairs. Visitors who cannot use the stairs can see the upstairs displays on an iPad with slides and commentary. Assistance dogs are welcome.

Kids & families

• Hands-on stations

Many exhibits are on open display and can be handled safely. The collection includes toys, among them some made by Italian prisoners of war held in North Yorkshire.

Getting there & parking

The museum is on Kirkgate, a short distance from the Market Place and close to St Mary's Church and The World of James Herriot, opposite the Zillah Bell Gallery. A blue banner hangs outside during opening hours.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit