| |
|
| The
Beamish Millennium Project |
| |
|
|
| |
Beamish, the North of England Open Air
Museum, was first opened to the public in 1971. Since
that time it has continued to introduce new and varied
features which represent a living Town around 1913.
Their ongoing objective is to continue to introduce
major features that you would find in a large Town during
that era. Already in use and on display are such items
as a Coal Mine, Chapel, School, Co-operative Store,
Tramcars, Colliery Village, Steam Engines and many other
items covering their 300-acre site. It was therefore
considered by the Beamish Authorities to be a most suitable
Project, to have a Masonic Hall re-constructed as a
major exhibit, which would enable it to display to the
public the story of Freemasonry. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
During 1998, a series of
meetings were held between The Provincial Grand Lodge
of Durham and Beamish, the North of England Open Air
Museum, to formulate and design the Project. This was
done under the guidance of the Provincial Grand Master,
Rt W Bro Dr Alan M Davison with the close co-operation
of the Beamish authorities. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
By the spring of 1999, an outline agreement,
design and costing of the Project was finalised. The
Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham agreed to raise and
donate £500,000 towards the total Budget Cost
of £1.17m., as their Millennium Project for 2000.
This Project would use the complete frontage from Park
Terrace, Sunderland, which by this time was carefully
stored in a field at Beamish. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
The Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham
consists of 203 Lodges, spread around the Province from
large Cities to quite rural and remote locations. The
members of our organisation see this Project as a means
of giving something back to their beloved Community
by providing an educational and historic facility at
Beamish |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
The Masonic Hall is being constructed
at the bottom of the Town Street, next to the Barclays
Bank building, which was erected some 6 years ago. After
Beamish had secured their financial grants from One
North East in 2003, Architects were engaged to produce
the final design and specification for the building.
From a shortlist of six Contractors, Gordon Durham Ltd
was awarded the Contract to build the Masonic Temple.
Work began in June 2004 and presently the structure
of the building is almost complete with the internal
“Fittings and Fixtures” being ongoing throughout
the remainder of 2005. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
The completed building will reproduce
in detail, a Masonic Hall as it was in 1913 in Park
Terrace, Sunderland. It will comprise a Robing Room
and a Tyler’s Room which will lead into the Temple
itself, set out as it would be for a Ceremony. Experienced
masons will be in attendance to answer queries from
members of the visiting public, Beamish following the
principle of explaining every possible element of social
history with accuracy and openness |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
