Weardale Museum
Volunteer-run folk museum in a Weardale cottage, with a lead miners’ kitchen, Wesley and Methodist history and a family history service.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Weardale Museum was formed in 1984, when a small group of volunteers used a renovation scheme at High House Chapel to convert the neighbouring former manse into a museum. It opened to its first visitors in May 1985. The first collection centred on an authentic lead miners’ kitchen, local minerals and the story of the chapel, and it has since grown into a varied display of stories from the dale.
High House Chapel was built in 1760 and is closely linked to John Wesley, who visited Weardale often; it is described as the oldest Methodist chapel in continuous use. The Methodist Fellowship closed it in 2019 and ownership passed to the museum in June 2020. The museum plans to restore the Grade II listed building and create a Weardale Museum and Heritage Centre, and it received grants for restoration work in February 2025. The chapel is currently closed to visitors.
The museum is run entirely by volunteers and was closed from March 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic. Its family history service holds records for more than 70,000 people linked to Weardale and is used by researchers from around the world. A Methodist tapestry project tells the story of Methodism in needlework.
Highlights
- Authentic lead miners’ kitchen with objects you may handle
- John Wesley artefacts and Methodist history in the Wesley Room
- Family history service with records for over 70,000 people
- Methodist Tapestries needlework project
- Neighbouring High House Chapel, built in 1760
Permanent exhibitions
- Weardale Kitchen – A lead miners’ kitchen shows daily life in the dale, and visitors can handle objects with care.
- Wesley Room – Artefacts and displays tell the story of John Wesley and early Methodism in Weardale.
- Founded
- 1985
- Operated by
- Trustees of Weardale Museum
Admission & discounts
| Adults | £4.50 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 17 · Visitors under 18 enter free. |
| Friends of the Museum (annual membership) | £12.50Includes free entry for a year. |
Adult admission is £4.50, or £5.00 if Gift Aid is not claimed on the ticket.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: not available
- Accessible restroom
- 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 10 cm step at the main entrance. The ground floor is accessible by wheelchair, although the layout is crowded, but the upstairs galleries cannot be reached by wheelchair; illustrated books and iPad displays show the upstairs content. A hearing loop is available at reception. An accessible toilet with a baby changing facility is available. Guide and assistance dogs are welcome, but pet dogs are not. The Wesley Room has seating, and a handling collection is in the kitchen room downstairs. The chapel next door is closed to visitors.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 17 |
|---|
- Hands-on stations
- Baby changing facilities
A handling collection in the kitchen room lets visitors touch objects, and a baby changing facility is available.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Bus stop outside the museum · 25 m
A bus stop is about 25 metres from the museum. The museum’s access statement describes an hourly service except on Sundays and Bank Holidays, and the Roof of England bus service 100 runs on Sundays.
By car
Parking available
The museum’s own small car park has been closed during restoration work at High House Chapel. Visitors can park on the roadside next to the museum, leaving the entrance and neighbour’s gateway clear, and more roadside parking is to the west. Passengers can be dropped off at the door.
Large signs stand 200 m and 400 m before the museum on the A689. Coaches can unload outside and park in St John’s Chapel or Ireshopeburn.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Café: not available
- Restaurant: not available
- Museum shop
No refreshments are served, but staff can point visitors to nearby cafes. The small shop is at reception. Mobile signal is variable and there is no public telephone.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Groups can book a guided talk with the museum and the Ireshopeburn Institute. Plan at least 1¼ hours for a group visit. Careful handling of objects in the cottage kitchen is welcomed. A family history research service is also available. |
