Pit Village News

Pit Village News

Just a brief catch-up on a few things happening around the Pit village this week.

The site of the Colliery Stables has been quiet for the last few weeks, however, work is now beginning to pick up pace again. Scaffolding is now up and work on the second lift of brickwork started today.

Weather permitting the majority of the brick work should be completed in the next six weeks.

 

Scaffolding now ready for the second lift of brick work

Scaffolding now ready for the second lift of brick work

 

Bricks being prepared

Bricks being prepared

 

Regular visitors will be familiar with the small sheds to the rear of the colliery cottages. For the majority of the time these sheds have been closed to visitors, only being opened when used by some of our volunteers. Last week we gave two of the sheds a good sweep out and tidy up. Now we will be opening the doors every day to allow visitors to have a better look at the sheds and their contents, much better than trying to peer through glass and cobwebs.

Back street of Colliery Cottages with Bread Oven and Sheds

Back street of Colliery Cottages with Bread Oven and Sheds

 

Typical Garden Shed Workshop

Typical Garden Shed Workshop

 

Lathe and tools ready to go

Lathe and tools ready to go

 

Although our new Bakery in the Town does not open until the 12th September you can still sample freshly baked bread, from the Pit Village Communal Bread Oven, on most days.

In the days before all miners houses were fitted with cast iron ranges, communal ovens were a common site in the pit villages of the north east. There are now no surviving examples of these ovens so last year we recreated an oven which originally stood in the village of Eden Place, now the site of a picnic site near the museum entrance.

A further explination of how the oven was built and work can be see on You Tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMIwRVoJeJI

Stoking the bread oven fire

Stoking the bread oven fire