Timewalk facts for kids
The Timewalk was a special exhibition and visitor attraction located inside Brewers Quay in Weymouth, Dorset. It opened its doors in 1990 and closed in 2010. Timewalk was one of Weymouth's most popular places to visit. It took visitors on an exciting trip through the town's history, focusing on its connections to the sea from the 1300s onwards. The story was told by a friendly brewery cat named Miss Paws and her eight cat ancestors! The goal of Timewalk was to "recreate the sights, sounds, and smells of six hundred years of maritime history."
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What Was Timewalk?
When you visited Timewalk, you first met Miss Paws. Then, you walked through 19 different scenes called dioramas. These scenes showed important moments from history.
A Journey Through Time
Some of the historical events you could see included:
- The Black Death, a terrible sickness that spread long ago.
- The Spanish Armada's attempt to invade England.
- The English Civil War, a big conflict within England.
- How Portland stone was used by Sir Christopher Wren to rebuild London after the Great Fire of 1666.
- King George III visiting Weymouth, making it a royal favorite.
- Stories about local smuggling.
- Weymouth's growth as a popular place for tourists after a railway line opened in 1857.
The last part of the attraction was called "Brewery Days." This section taught visitors about the history of brewing beer in Hope Square since 1821. It featured fun characters known as the Brewery Bunch: Mr Malt, Mr Hops, and Mr Yeast.
How Timewalk Started
After the Devenish Brewery closed, the company and the Weymouth & Portland Borough Council had a big idea. They wanted to turn the old brewery building into Brewers Quay. This new complex would have shops, a pub, a restaurant, and indoor attractions.
Opening Brewers Quay
Brewers Quay opened in June 1990. The project cost about £4.5 million. It included Timewalk and the Weymouth Museum, both of which shared the history of Weymouth. John Sunderland was the person who designed the project. In the same year, Timewalk won a special award called the "Come to Britain Trophy" from the British Tourist Authority.
Timewalk's Popularity and Closure
Timewalk quickly became one of the most popular attractions in the area. In 2004, a famous travel guide called the Rough Guide to Britain even praised it in its section about Weymouth. A report from the council showed that about 41,000 people visited Timewalk in 2004. In the summer of 2007, VisitBritain announced that Weymouth was the most searched place on their websites. They said Timewalk and the Sea Life Park helped make Weymouth so popular.
Why Timewalk Closed
In 2010, Timewalk closed its doors for good. This happened when Brewers Quay shut down for new development plans. The new developers announced that Timewalk would not be part of their future plans. They felt that fewer people were visiting, so it was "no longer justifiable." Instead, they planned a new indoor attraction for rainy days.
However, these new plans didn't happen as expected. In 2013, Brewers Quay reopened as a place to buy antiques. After Timewalk closed, the figures from its historical scenes were stored inside the building. In 2016, the Weymouth Museum gave 18 of these figures to the antiques emporium. Some figures stayed there, while others were sold.
