Beck Isle Museum

After watching the trains for a while, I left Mark sitting in the sunshine in a pub garden while I went to visit the Beck Isle Museum.

The museum is housed in a regency period residence near the centre of town, next to Pickering Beck, a stream that flows under a four-arched road bridge. It was here that William Marshall planned England's first Agricultural Institute in the early 19th century. The house contains an interesting collection of bygones relating to the rural crafts and living style of Ryedale. The exhibits are not restricted to a particular period but aim to reflect local life and customs and trace the developments in social and domestic life during the last 200 years. A selection of photographs from the Sidney Smith collection held in the museum are displayed around the building, particularly in the photography and model rooms. Sidney Smith was born in Pickering. He is thought of as a successor to Frank Meadow Sutcliffe of Whitby.

I loved my visit. I could have spent a lot longer there, but we had to catch the last bus back to Whitby. My ticket is valid for a year, so perhaps I will get to go back.Read more