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.
Burnhope Heritage Trail
In the far corner of the picnic area car park at the top of Peth Bank.
Walk out of the picnic area, keep beside the rocks to avoid fast moving traffic and crossover Langley Lane with care. Walk past Burnhope Wheel and walk down Holmside Lane to just before the road restriction.
Plaque 18 Social Services Club
Walk down Holmside Lane and find the christmas tree on your left.
Burnhope Heritage Trails map with plaque 17 Miners Hall beside the map
The Display Map shows all four Heritage Trails, including the School Heritage Trail, the Village Heritage Trail and the Mining Heritage Trail, both 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 left down the unmade track past The Garage Bar and Grille, turn left down down another unmade track that twists between small holdings until you reach the Italby Park fence.
Plaque 22 Burnhope Brickflatts
Walk back to The Garage Bar and Grille.
Walk out to and cross over Holmside Lane. Walk down Holmside Lane and down the path by Neil Johnstone’s shop.
Mining Display Map with plaques 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 beside the map.
Step down this path back into history to discover Burnhope Colliery, past the Rifle Range, (old) Cricket Field Pavilion and the Band Hut, between Ada Rainbow’s Carriage and the Hay Shed for Pit Ponies. Ada Rainbow lived at No 1, children visited her to buy sweets when the railway carriage was condemned.
Walk down the path between the ‘Glass House’ and the large shed, over a low stile and find at the end of the garden fence.
Walk back up the path and right down The Avenue.
Burnhope Colliery was the other side of The Avenue. Water Reservoir and chimney for underground boilers, Gas Works, Fortune and Annie Pits, stone sorting shed where coal was loaded onto wagons, pit yard with blacksmith, joiner, electrician, fitter, coal railway wagons repair shop, stores of pit props and other mining materials. Past the shunting yards where the ‘sets’ of coal wagons were marshalled ready to be hauled up the Wagon Way to Craghead and onto the Staiths on the Tyne. No evidence remains today of Burnhope Colliery.
Turn left up Co-operative Terrace.
Walk up Co-operative Terrace to the top.
Plaque 7 Co-op store – dance floor
Cross over Holmside Lane to the entrance to Edwards Walk.
Plaque 15 Board Inn – Cartwheel
Walk down Edwards Walk 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).
Walk around the War Memorial and take the path to the top of the incline that used to be the Wagon Way.
Plaque 23 Bank Top Engine House
Turn right down the bridleway, left up Green Lane, left up the next bridleway to just before the farm gates.
Walk back down the bridleway, turn left and walk down Green Lane, to the corner by a farm. Take the path on the right, past fairy wood and across the field to Holmside Lane. On the left is the Old Vicarage.
Walk a 100 metres up Holmside Lane and on the right is St John’s Church.
Walk back down Holmside Lane and take the right fork of the path opposite the Old Rectory.
Plaque 27 Board Inn Off Licence
Follow the path to beyond the bridge over the stream.
Follow the path to the farm track. Opposite and to the left is a path. Follow the path up through the woods, harvested areas and new planting to Edge Lane. Turn right down to Langley Lane. Turn right down Langley Lane to the cottages, find on your left.
Follow Langley Lane to the end of the houses, turn right up an unmade road on the wall.
Plaque 19 Polo Field – 1926 Gala
The Polo Field was across Langley Lane behind the bus stop, on the flat land to the East of the mast.
Walk up the Black Track, left up Whitehouse Avenue, turn left down path beside a children’s play area.
Plaque 20 Pickerings’ Fish and Chips – Wet Fish Hawkers
Walk back up the path, rejoin and walk up Whitehouse Avenue, turn left up Holmside Lane and back to the picnic area.