Guidance notes
A century ago Burnhope was a bustling mining village, a tight knit community who looked out for each other, with 20 shops and 30 amenities, the streets full of people. The Colliery had 5 pits, 12 drift mines, gas works, brick works, pit yard with blacksmith, electrician, fitter, joinery making pit props, tub and rail wagon repair shops, and the line taking coal away on railway wagons.
We are celebrating Burnhope heritage with 20 exhibits permanently displayed around the village and surrounding countryside, all the exhibits with QR codes linked to 36 individual pages on burnhopeheritagetrail.co.uk. Each page opens with a brief description of the amenity, which you can pull down for photographs, memories and more historical information.
Village Heritage Trail
Turn right out of The Garage Bar and Grille walk down the unmade track. Take the left turn down another unmade track that twists between small holdings until you reach the Italby Park fence.
Plaque 22 Brickflatts behind the Fence.
Walk back to The Garage Bar and Grille, on the brick wall by the door.
Walk up the unmade road and turn left down Pavilion Terrace. At the junction with Holmside Lane on side of Grey’s Buildings.
Plaque 15 Board Inn – Cartwheel
Walk down Holmside Lane and left onto Edwards Walk down to a display map beside the War memorial.
1920s Old Village Display Map with plaques 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 beside the map.
The centre of the old village was where the Wagon Way (no 8) crossed Holmside Lane. Burnhope had a huge park (no 9), this and the Park Methodist Chapel (no 10) were accessed from the wrought iron gates in the middle of the War Memorial (no 11). The Colliery School (no 12) was directly across the road, Knowles Shop (no 13) down Holmside lane just beyond the Wagon Way. The Church Hall (no 14) was beside St John’s Church (plaque 25 is on wall by the church gates).
Cross over Holmside Lane and walk up Vale View and left down Co-operative Terrace to the bottom.
Walk back up Co-operative Terrace to Holmside Lane.
Plaque 7 Co-op store – dance floor
Turn left up Holmside Lane past the cricket ground. Just past Neil Johnston’s shop and walk ten yards down the path.
Mining Display Map with plaques 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 beside the map.
The Rifle Range (no 1) was on the right hand side of the path reaching almost to the track that crosses the path. Across the track was the old (wooden) Cricket Pavilion (no 2). Beyond it, beside Rose Cottage was the Band Hut (no 3) and Ada Rainbow’s Carriage (no 4) was below the escarpment, where the green cricket field fence bends round. Ada Rainbow lived at No 1 The Avenue, children visited her to buy sweets when the railway carriage was condemned. Fortune Pit (no 5) and Burnhope Colliery were the other side of The Avenue. That is the start of another walk.
Walk up South View, left onto Langley Avenue, right onto The Grove and left onto Whitehouse Avenue. Cross over and take the path on the right after the last house, before the play ground.
Plaque 20 Pickerings’ Fish and Chips
Rejoin and turn right down Whitehouse Avenue, turn right to walk down the Black Track until it comes out onto Langley Lane.
Plaque 19 Polo Field – 1926 Gala
Walk back up the Black Track and left onto Braeside. Follow the road through Mount Pleasant and The Haven until it comes out onto Holmside Lane. Cross over Holmside Lane and walk down towards Helen’s Top Shop.
Plaque 18 Social Services Club
Walk down Holmside Lane and find the Christmas tree on your left.
Burnhope Heritage Display Map with plaque 17 Miners Hall.
The Display Map shows all four Heritage Trails, including the School Heritage Trail, the Burnhope Heritage Trail from the picnic area at the top of Peth Bank and the Mining Heritage Trail from The Garage, Bar and Grille. Each trail has a QR code for accessing the trail guides.
The Display Map also shows all thirty plaques and Burnhope Colliery, with a picture and short description.
Turn left down Barrons Way and back to The Garage Bar and Grille to return to the start of the trail.