Elsecar Heritage Centre facts for kids
Elsecar Heritage Centre is a cool place to visit in Elsecar, Barnsley, England. It's run by Barnsley Museums. You can find unique shops, art galleries, and cafes here. These are all set up in old Victorian workshops. There's also a big antiques centre. You can learn about the village's history, which was once an industrial area with ironworks and coal mines. It was built for the Earls Fitzwilliam from Wentworth Woodhouse. Elsecar is now known worldwide as one of the UK's first "model villages." It was built even before famous places like Saltaire.
Right next to the heritage centre, at the Elsecar New Colliery, is a very special Newcomen steam engine. It's the only one of its kind still in its original spot. People now believe it's the oldest steam engine in the world that's still where it was first built!
Contents
Exploring Elsecar Heritage Centre
The New Yard: Shops and History
The New Yard workshops were built for Earl Fitzwilliam way back in 1850. This was a busy place for carpenters, engineers, and blacksmiths. They helped keep the village's coal mines, ironworks, and the big Wentworth Woodhouse estate running. Later, these workshops became part of the National Coal Board. They closed down in the 1980s.
Today, the New Yard is full of life! It has almost 40 independent shops, art galleries, and cafes. There's even a fun play area for children and a huge antiques centre.
The visitor centre has cool exhibits and films. It also has interactive displays for kids. You can even see a digital picture of what the village looked like in 1880.
The Elsecar Ironworks: A Place for Events
The rolling mill of the old Elsecar Ironworks is now used for big events. These include antiques fairs, markets where makers sell their goods, concerts, and even weddings.
The Earl's Great Engine: A World Record Holder
The Elsecar New Colliery is home to a very special Newcomen beam engine. It's the only one of its kind in the world that is still in its original location! It was built in 1795. This happened because William Wentworth, the 4th Earl Fitzwilliam, asked for it.
This engine is now known as the oldest steam engine in the world that is still in its original place.
It worked by pumping water out of the Elsecar New Colliery coal mine. It ran from 1795 until 1923. That's when electric pumps took over its job. In 1973, this amazing engine was protected as a scheduled ancient monument.
The engine was fixed up and made to work again (using hydraulics) between 2012 and 2014.
You can visit it seven days a week, unless the weather is very bad. There are also special open days and weekly tours between Easter and October each year.
See also
- Listed buildings in Hoyland Milton
- Elsecar Heritage Railway
