Georgian Berwick: A Guided Walk
What was once called Rotten Row was transformed into the present Ravensdowne in the 18th century. Many of the houses in this street running from the Barracks were populated by Berwick's wealthier citizens and built in the Georgian period.
Join Linda Bankier, Berwick Archivist on a guided walk down this quiet back street. Discover the unknown stories of the people who lived there over time from a well-known local doctor to a German resident accused of spying in the First World War.
Berwick Parish Churchyard Tour : Some History and Monuments
Enjoy a guided walk around this beautiful churchyard and discover the stories behind some of the monuments and the lives of those buried there as well on the Sunday about the flora and the environment.
Until the opening of the Civic Cemetery in 1856, this was Berwick's only burial ground which was used by all denominations. Over the centuries many thousands of people have been buried there. The churchyard contains many monuments of all different shapes and sizes. Some were removed in 1972 but what remains provide a fascinating insight into Berwick's history and its many inhabitants.
Riverside Walls Guided Walk
Originally part of the defences commenced by Edward I after he stormed Berwick in 1296, this section of the wall was probably not built until the early 14th century.
In this walking tour, local historian, Jim Herbert, will unravel the story and explain the changes that took place during the 400 years after their original construction. There's also a chance to see inside two of the remaining towers. - Coxon's and New Tower.
Tours at 12 noon & 4pm
Building Bridges - the Difficult Conversations Project and Berwick Literary Festival
Picking up the theme of "Bridging the Divide" come along and hear about the Festival and the exciting "Difficult Conversations" Project being undertaken with a local school, Berwick Academy. Join Chris Adriaanse , Storyteller to find out more.
Chris, Storyteller and Spoken Word Artist has been working with the local Academy School on this project which has been inspired by an inconspicuous plaque near Berwick Old Bridge that claims the parliaments of both England and Scotland met at this point to settle the boundary dispute between the two countries. This is the starting point but where has it taken them ? Find out how this project shows the many connections between history, education and the arts as well as collaboration with a range of different individuals and bodies, young people, historians, archivists, storytellers and many more. Also, find out about this year's festival and the events exploring the theme "Bridging the Divide" which have been inspired by the town's Bridge 400 celebrations.
Elizabethan Walls Tour - Guided Walk
Berwick's imposing Elizabethan Walls are an icon feature of the town. Why and how were they built and by whom? Join local historian, Jim Herbert on this walk to answer some of these questions.
'I must admit the new wall is marvellous beautiful', was an opinion voiced to Queen Elizabeth in 1568, but what did the writer go on to say? Built at a time of uncertainty, this was the most expensive project of Elizabeth's reign. Today a tour of these walls is the best way to see Berwick and get an overview of its past and present, and along the way, encounter conflicting consultants and medieval map-making. This walk gives an insight into the history of these unusual walls which encircle the town, a unique design for this country.
Tours at 10am & 2pm
Evidence of Angels - Tour and Talk of Berwick Parish Church
"To be charitable and helpful and beneficial to others is to be a good angel". Join this tour of Berwick Parish Church to find out more about the angels associated with Berwick Parish Church over the years.
The Parish Church of Holy Trinity and St Mary is the most northerly Anglican Church in England. The present church was built in the 1650s and is very unusual. This talk and tour will look at some of the people connected with the church and objects still visible which tell the story of the church over the centuries.
Stories From the KOSB Museum : World War One - Grief and Remembrance
Drawing on their collections, join members of the KOSB Museum and Archives team for this talk as they discuss how people dealt with grief in the wake of World War One. How did they cope with the indescribable experience and aftermath of war?
2024 is the 110th anniversary of the outbreak of World War One which impacted the lives of many throughout the world. How did soldiers and families cope with this and how did this help create a greater understanding of the need for support for veterans and their families, something which is still needed throughout the world today.
The Kings Own Scottish Borderers Museum is closed at the moment. However, here's your chance to view some of its artefacts and archives and find out more about the collections it holds relating to the First World War and its aftermath from those working on them.
From Spittal to Scremerston: The Colliery Way
Partly following the track of the old wagonway from Spittal to Scremerston enjoy a guided walk on this route, pointing out features relating to coalmining here in the past.
How did the coal get from Scremerston down to the River Tweed? Follow the old wagonway from Spittal to Scremerston and find out more about the area's coal mining heritage .
Routes, Networks and Connections - Lego Spike manoeuvres Berwick's Bridges. Children only!
Have a go at this interactive building and coding activity session, focussing on problem solving, storytelling and creativity. Can you manoeuvre your vehicle across one of Berwick's Bridges ? Relive your love of Lego!
Here's your chance to try something totally different. Using Lego Spike, create your own story behind your vehicle and its journey to negotiate a Berwick Bridge. Can you get your vehicle over the bridge successfully ?
Saturday 14 September: 1030 - 1230 & 1400 - 1600
Lowry and the Sea - in depth tour of the exhibition
Join Professor Maria Chester in a tour of the exhibition which is an opportunity to examine the works on display in more detail and learn about Lowry's life and his artistic practice. Not to be missed if you are a fan of Lowry's work.
Lowry and the Sea explores the artist’s connection to Berwick and his lifelong fascination with the sea. As one of Britain’s most recognisable artists, he is best known for his industrial scenes of the North-West. However, the sea was a constant presence in his life. During his childhood he enjoyed regular family holidays on the Lancashire coast. Later he travelled extensively throughout the British Isles, regularly visiting the North-East and its coast.
Lowry first visited Berwick-upon-Tweed in the mid-1930s and continued to visit the town until his death in 1976, drawn by its clear air and views out to the North Sea.
Lowry and the Sea includes works on loan from The Lowry, Salford, The Arts Council Collection, Royal Academy of Arts and several private collections, and is the first curated exhibition of his works in the town for 10 years.
Berwick Bridge: A Guided Walk
Berwick Old Bridge celebrates its 400th anniversary this year. Join Berwick Archivist, Linda Bankier in this walk across the bridge and find out more about its history and how it has been used in the past.
The Free Trade Inn
Access the public rooms of a traditional 19th century small urban pub, last refitted c 1910. It is a Grade II listed building and is one of CAMRA's 'Historic pub interiors of national importance'. It retains a good Edwardian pub frontage.
The pub was refitted around 1910 and has a very unusual layout. The bar at the front is wood panelled and has its original bar counter. The front window is stained glass. The rear room was originally a smoke room but is now used for pool. The room has bell pushes and an attractive brick and tile fireplace probably installed around the time of the Second World War. Over the weekend there will be a small exhibition in the back room about the history of the pub including photographs and newspaper cuttings. Here's your chance to visit a small traditional pub.
Civic Society Bridge Exhibition
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Riverside Walls Guided Walk
Originally part of the defences commenced by Edward I after he stormed Berwick in 1296, this section of the wall was probably not built until the early 14th century.
In this walking tour, local historian, Jim Herbert, will unravel the story and explain the changes that took place during the 400 years after their original construction. There's also a chance to see inside two of the remaining towers. - Coxon's and New Tower.
Tours at 12 noon & 4pm
Berwick Parish Church: A History through Six Objects - Talk/Tour
Specially devised for Heritage Open Days, come along and find out about the history of this unusual Cromwellian church through six objects found inside.
When George Fenwick was Governor of Berwick in the 17th century, funds were raised to build the church using stone and timber from the disused Castle. It was completed in 1652. It was designed and built as a Puritan place of worship consisting of a regular nave with 2 side aisles and no chancel. It has no tower or steeple, reputedly at the express orders of Oliver Cromwell.
Boston's Herring Yard and Berwick Sailing Club
Boston Brothers ran a successful herring yard in Spittal until the early 1900s. There the women would gut the herring ready for smoking and pickling. Now Berwick Sailing Club, see what remains and also find out about the Sailing Club today.
The Herring Fishing Industry was very important in Spittal, providing work for both men and women. Often the women would follow the fleet from Aberdeen to Great Yarmouth, stopping at various ports en route. They were very skilled workers at preparing the herring for smoking or pickling. The original shutters for delivering the herring to the yards are still visible outside. Not much remains inside but come along and see a slide show of local images of this industry which has now disappeared.
Berwick Sailing Club has operated from this site for many years and continue the tradition of it having a connection with the sea. This is also your opportunity to find out more about the Club and what it does today.
Bankhill Icehouse
A unique opportunity to visit an Icehouse which was built around 1786 - 1799 to store ice for Berwick's renowned salmon industry. Using ice was an innovation at this time as previously salmon had been preserved by either pickling or salting.
Berwick Lifeboat Station at Carr Rock, Spittal
Stationed in Spittal, the lifeboat service in Berwick has a long history. Visit the present Lifeboat Station and see their new inshore lifeboat. Find out what they do today as well as about their past.
Berwick Lifeboat Station was first established in Spittal in 1835. Since then, it has swapped from one side of the River Tweed to the other . It remained on the Spittal side until 1901 when it transferred over to the Berwick side of the river. It was subsequently moved back to Spittal again to its present site at Carr Rock. See a display to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the RNLI and the history of the local station.
Sketching in Stone: an exhibition by Berwick Bridge 400 Artist in Residence, Annie Lord
Berwick Old Bridge celebrates its 400th anniversary and Annie Lord, Connecting Threads Artist in Residence has been working with the local community to create an artistic response to this event. Come along and see the results at this exhibition.
As part of her research, Annie has spent time exploring the original account books which recorded the names, wages and job titles of everyone involved in the construction of Berwick Bridge. Dating back to 1611, these beautifully scribed books tell a fascinating story, revealing both the material history of the bridge, and the labour involved in its creation.
Throughout her residency, Annie has developed handmade paint, made from the same
sandstone used to repair the bridge. Inspired by the workers who initially constructed the bridge, Annie has invited local people to contribute an artwork in their honour, using this paint. The sandstone creates a warm-toned, reddish-brown colour, and provides an exciting, at times unpredictable material to work with. These artworks, as well as Annie’s own work, will be on display as part of the exhibition.
Throughout the weekend, Annie will be on hand to chat about her archival research, and to demonstrate her handmade, sandstone paint.
This event is by Destination Tweed’s Connecting Threads Project, part of The Southern
Uplands Partnership, supported by National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Coxon’s Tower
Coxon’s Tower is one of the last two remaining original medieval towers on the famous walls which surround Berwick. Yet all is not as it seems!
Inside, the vaulted ceiling and casemates remain. But look closer and you see evidence of early 16th century modifications, and in the 18th century, the structure was further, and drastically, modified on the outside to maintain its role as guardian of the river estuary. Visit this tower which is not normally open to the public.
Gunpowder Magazine
Discover a purpose built ammunition store constructed in 1749 to provide safe storage of explosives required by the military garrison at the Barracks. Far enough away in case of accidents but still close enough to reach!
Previous storage arrangements in the flankers of the Brass Bastion proved unsatisfactory during preparations for an expected attack by the Jacobite forces in 1745 when most of the gunpowder was discovered to be damp and unusable. The new Magazine incorporated features designed to ensure protection against damp and potential explosion. It is built of local sandstone and is surrounded by a high wall. The walls of the vaulted, windowless structure are reinforced by eight heavy buttresses, intended to direct the explosion safely upwards. There are ventilators above the entrance steps that allow air to circulate, protecting the powder from damp. The building has a double-skinned roof and the main internal safety feature is the total absence of iron to avoid any possibility of a spark igniting the gunpowder. Among the interesting internal features are the original wooden racks.
L.S. Lowry and the Sea
This exhibition explores the artist’s connection to Berwick and his lifelong fascination with the sea. He first visited the town in the mid-1930s and continued coming until his death in 1976, drawn by its clear air and views of the North Sea.
Lowry is one of Britain’s most recognisable artists, best known for his industrial scenes of the North-West. However, the sea was a constant presence in his life. During his childhood he enjoyed regular family holidays on the Lancashire coast. Later he travelled extensively throughout the British Isles, regularly visiting the North-East and its coast.
Lowry and the Sea includes works on loan from The Lowry, Salford, The Arts Council Collection, Royal Academy of Arts and several private collections, and is the first curated exhibition of his works in the town for 10 years. This is an amazing opportunity to see his less well known works.
The Maltings, Berwick - Guided Venue Tour
A unique chance to explore The Maltings. Take a guided tour with exclusive access to all areas of the theatre, including the stage, dressing rooms, and backstage where the magic happens!
The Maltings is a 'mixed-use' venue, presenting both live work (theatre, dance, music, comedy, and more), films & event broadcasts, classes, and visual arts exhibitions. It was originally opened in 1990 and will close for renovation before the next Heritage Open Days. This is an opportunity to see behind the scenes and visit those parts not normally seen by the public.
Saturday 14 September: Tours 1100; 1200; 1300 & 1600
Berwick Gaol in the Town Hall
Visit one of Berwick's hidden gems and find out how prisoners were accommodated from the mid-1700s to 1849. See the condemned cell which housed prisoners the night before they were executed.
There has been a Town Hall on this site for many centuries. The present building was constructed in the 1750s and 1760s by the Guild of Freemen to act as the seat of local government in Berwick and administer law and order. The prison was constructed at this time to house criminals, drunks and debtors. It remained in use until 1849 when the prisoners were transferred to the new Prison in Wallace Green. By this time, the prison in the Town Hall was considered unsuitable because prisoners did not have individual cells.
Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival - SCREENTIME!
SCREENTIME presents the premier of a multiverse film made in Berwick by young filmmakers inspired by the town's heritage. The films have been made through a series of workshops with artists from in and around town.
SCREENTIME is a programme working with artists and with young people based in the rural market town of Berwick upon Tweed in North Northumberland, England. It is an ongoing young person-centred programme of Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival. It aims to provide opportunities to explore the unique setting of the local area, while growing a film culture in this community, increasing opportunities to engage with and make films for young people.
With thanks to the artists: Harry Lawson, Gawain Hewitt, Lucy Baxandall and heritage champions Berwick Museum & Art Gallery, Northumberland Museums: Becki Cooper; Berwick Record Office: Linda Bankier, Beth Elliott and Cameron Robertson.
This is a great opportunity to see films inspired by local artefacts and archives in an historical setting. Come and find out more.
Creative UPCYCLING with the Living Barracks Project
Be inspired by the seaside, the townscape and landmarks of Berwick and upcycle an old T-shirt into a new favourite. Join Transform Arts CIC for this fun screen-printing workshop for all ages and create a unique design to wear about town!
In this FREE workshop, run by The Living Barracks Cultural Development Programme you will be able to transform an old piece of clothing or fabric by printing a new design from one of our templates or create your own.
Bring along a T-shirt (cotton/cotton rich) to upcycle or visit one of Berwick’s charity shops to find an item to upcycle. We will also have a selection of reclaimed fabric and T-shirts available.
Your opportunity to be creative and to take home something unique.
Border Brewery Cellars
Back by popular demand, an opportunity to visit and explore some Grade II listed 18th century cellars which were used at one stage as a bonded store. From at least 1781 to the early 20th century, there was a brewery on this site.
These cellars extend under 10 - 14 Silver Street, part of which was originally the town house of the Haggerston family. The house was rebuilt in the early 1700s but was in a poor state by the mid 18th century. The entrance to the cellars incorporates a date stone of 1781, when the site became a brewery. The Border Brewery operated from here under different names until the 1930s. In 1937 the business was taken over by Vaux Breweries and brewing ceased. In 1948 the premises were purchased by Blackburn and Price who ran the site as a garage until its closure in the early 2000s.
The New Tower
Especially open for Berwick Heritage Open Days in Berwick. Go through a normally hidden door and see inside the lower portion of a 14th-century tower embedded in a 17th-century wall. Not to be missed!
An opportunity to see an unknown part of Berwick's medieval and 17th-century fortifications.
The Big Bridge Exhibition
Using the theme of networks, our Big Bridge exhibition combines all the entries to the HODS logo competition with creations from our Artful Adventures workshop in August. Come and see what has been created.
As part of Berwick Library's Summer Reading Challenge, come and see the work created by children relating to Berwick's iconic historic bridges.
Berwick Parish Church
Come and see this church which is a building of exceptional historic importance, a very rare example of an Anglican church built in the Commonwealth period in the time of Cromwell. It's also the most northerly Anglican Church in England.
When George Fenwick was Governor of Berwick in the 17th century, funds were raised to build the church using stone and timber from the disused Castle. It was completed in 1652. It was designed and built as a Puritan place of worship consisting of a regular nave with 2 side aisles and no chancel. It has no tower or steeple, reputedly at the express orders of Oliver Cromwell.
This year, there is also on display some clergy vestments - some traditional ones but also some which were specially commissioned by a local benefactor in the 1980s from two of the country's leading designers and embroiderers, Judy Barry and Beryl Patten. There will also be an altar frontal created by them as well.