Beck Isle Museum

The Beck Isle Museum of Rural Life is a social history museum in Pickering, North Yorkshire, England. The museum features period business displays including the shops of a barber, blacksmith, chemist, cobbler, cooper, printer, gentleman's draper, dairy, and hardware store. There is also a Victorian-era pub and parlour, and a historic costume gallery. Its collection is housed in a fine regency period Grade II* listed mansion with farm outbuildings. Among the collections are the photography and photographic equipment of Sydney Smith (1884–1958), noted photographer of Pickering. Despite poor eyesight due to a childhood affliction with measles, Smith developed a love of photography, opening a photographic business in the 1900s and operating it with his wife, Maud, until World War I. Maud ran the shop while Smith fought in World War I, and after his return from the war he "gave up photography in order to run a garage on Park Street", though he continued to "spend all his spare time taking photographs". The images from the collection number several thousand, and a number are on display throughout the museum. Most of the images date from the 1920s to the late 1940s and are of Pickering and the surrounding villages, events, and local people. Smith's collection was described in 2000 as presenting "a remarkable picture of the Rydale area as it was more than half a century ago."

Nearby Places View Menu

Pickering Methodist Church

Pickering Methodist Church is a historic Methodist chapel in Pickering, North Yorkshire, a town in England. In 1885, both the Primitive Methodist Church and the Wesleyan Methodist Church opened chapels in Pickering. The Primitive chapel is in the Italianate style, and was designed by Thomas Howdill. Its construction cost £3,500, partly offset by selling the old chapel on Bridge Street to a railway company. The new building could seat 550 worshippers, while its Sunday school could accommodate 400 children. Both the Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists eventually became part of the Methodist Church of Great Britain, which maintains the former Primitive chapel as its church in the town. The building was grade II listed in 1975. The church is built of stone, and has two storeys facing the road, with a pediment containing a circular window, and a lettered and dated band below. On the front are four bays and pilasters. The ground floor contains paired central doorways with decorated fanlights flanked by round-headed windows, all with impost bands and keystones. On the upper floor are four round-headed windows, also with impost bands and keystones. Inside, there is a large gallery, unusual curved pews, and a brass war memorial commemorating both world wars.

St Joseph's Church, Pickering

St Joseph's Church is a Catholic church in Pickering, North Yorkshire, a town in England. Mass was said at Pickering in the 17th century by Nicholas Postgate, but services then lapsed and were only revived in 1896, when a priest from Malton began saying mass at the town's Salvation Army hall. In 1901, Father Edward Bryan moved to the town and purchased two cottages, using one as a chapel. He raised funds for a church, which was completed in 1911, to a design by Leonard Stokes. The church was grade II listed in 1975, along with the church hall The church is built of stone with a tile roof, and consists of a nave, a north aisle, and a tower at the junction of the church and the hall. The hall is at a right angle and has a stone porch with a gambrel roof, a large Perpendicular-style window to the south, and hipped dormers on the roof. There is a statue of Saint Joseph on the south wall, believed to be by Peter Paul Pugin. Inside, there is an octagonal font carved by Eric Gill, and a stone altar with a cross also said to be by him. Other features include a carved holy water stoup and plain oak benches.

Pickering Memorial Hall

Pickering Memorial Hall is a historic municipal building in Pickering, North Yorkshire, a town in England. The building, which is used as a community events venue and houses the headquarters of Pickering Town Council, is a grade II listed building.

Pickering Bridge

Pickering Bridge is a historic bridge in Pickering, North Yorkshire, a town in England. The bridge carries Bridge Street across Pickering Beck, at the western end of the town's market place. A stone bridge was first recorded in 1476, and was also mentioned by John Leland. One arch of the Mediaeval bridge survives, while the remainder of the bridge was rebuilt in the 18th century. The bridge was grade II listed in 1950. The bridge is built of stone and has four arches, with the Mediaeval arch being ribbed. The centre arch is segmental, and the others are smaller flanking flood arches with pilasters between.