Ryedale Folk Museum

Ryedale Folk Museum are holding their annual Halloween Party on October 31st 2014. Experience the museum at night with our family fun Halloween evening party 6-8pm. There will be pumpkin carving and fancy dress competitions, children’s crafts, themed food, apple bobbing & more! For more information or to book please call the museum on 01751 417367 or email emma@ryedalefolkmuseum.co.uk

Here a re a few photos from Tractor & Engine Day 2014. which was held on Sunday 13th July. Thanks go to Museum Director Jennifer Smith for these. JS

Today at the museum the sun was shining and the cornfield and vegetable garden looked great. I am sure you won't see a cornfield this colourful anywhere else in Yorkshire. JS Cornfield Flowers look lovely but where's the wheat? Vegetable Garden potatoes looking very tidy. Onion bed. Peas An abundance of herbs.

I found a few photos from last month, the Model Village needs constant upkeep just like real size houses. I did the strimming and cresosoted all woodwork,Jane Thompson & pupils from Ryedale School were a good help. Jonathan S Ryedale School working on model village Busy creosoting the model barn

Has anybody got the yearning to learn blacksmithing? Ryedale Folk Museum is running a blacksmithing course this Saturday 12th July 2014, ring the museum for further details 01751 417367. In the meantime enjoy this video of our resident blacksmith Robin Butler making a Celtic brooch. Jonathan Severs

Portable Miniature Carousel Richard Bowman making adjustments to running gear  Just found these photos I took ages ago of the miniature carousel which was in the workshop in May. It was originally a searchlight used in the Second World War and was donated to the museum after it's conversion. Jonathan S

                                                              A much valued and respected volunteer John Nicoll died suddenly on March 14th. John was always someone who I regarded (like many volunteers/museum staff) as a good friend. He always worked to a very high standard and got the job done. In particular the model village is a monument to his labours, I took dozens of photos of the restoration as it progressed, it is a credit to John and his wife Colleen. John will be missed by us all at the museum. Jonathan S

In the run up to Valentines day, we are sharing our top 10 reasons why we love our location!  Reason Number 1   Being within the beautiful Hutton Le Hole and the North York Moors National Park! (Image Chris J Parker NYMNPA) Reason Number 2 Community celebrations, traditional village shows and fairs! Reason Number 3 The unusual grazing residents! Reason Number 4 The amazing nature & wildlife. Reason Number 5 The amazing local crafts! Reason Number 6 The amazing variation of coast, woodland,moors, and countryside! Just a short drive to The AONB: Howardian Hills, Dalby Forest, Scarborough and the North York Moors! Reason Number 7  The country pubs and breweries! Reason Number 8   The amazing locally hand made food! Everything from pies to chocolate! Reason Number 9 The strong heritage in the area! With the wonderful Beck Isle Museum & the North Yorkshire Moors Railway just down the road. Reason Number 10   The wonderful art festivals! Helmsley Arts Cen...

This year we are celebrating our 50th Anniversary, to do this we are running special 50th Anniversary events each month in 2014 alongside our normal events programme. The events are based on themes which represent our core values, and which we continue to champion. About us… Ryedale Folk Museum was created by local people out of a passion for their heritage and we have and always will be committed to being a part of the community we inhabit. The Museum began when Wilfred Crosland and his sisters occupied the house and barn that now form the entrance to the Museum. His many interests included collecting old farm implements and craft tools, which he stored and displayed in the barn. After WWII, as Wilfred’s interest became ever more widely known, local people gave more objects; eventually whole buildings came along. Local, Bert Frank, collaborated with practical help and advice, and became the first full-time curator when the Museum officially opened in 1964. It w...

The Halloween party at Ryedale Folk Museum was fantastic. Activities included apple bobbing, crafts, and a pumpkin competition. There were witches and vampires present in large quantities, and also lovely hot-dogs and soup served by the Simms family. Sausages supplied by Beadlam Grange Farm Shop (they are delicious by the way).Buy them here: http://www.beadlamgrange.co.uk/ Above all the best bit of the night was a great act by a few vampires which included leaping out of coffins, a ghostly dance display and spooky story telling. They did a great rendition of 'Three Little Pigs'. There was a good crowd present and the event was enjoyed by all, meself included. Jonathan S

RFM Radio? Podcasts? At Ryedale Folk Museum we are now uploading podcasts onto our blog, you can find them on the RFM Radio page of this blog. They are available to listen to via the blog: http://ryedalefolkmuseum.blogspot.co.uk/p/ryedale-folk-museum-radio.html   or for you to download to listen to later. This project was funded thanks to the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. Jonathan S

We had a wonderful start to May with our annual May Day celebrations, including the much loved May Pole dancing! Here are just a few snapshots from the day...

It was a bit cold today at the museum, but we are always open for business whatever the weather.  David and I made some more progress with the Lister hay turner, giving it a wire brush down and painting the wheels. John Nicoll came in to do some work on the windmill sails from the model village. David took some good photos of the model village, you'd nearly think it was full scale, not miniature with the snow. David giving the Lister hayrake a coat of paint Close up of gearbox, Lister Blackstone John Nicoll busy restoring  model windmill sails Model village in winter Jonathan S

MF 35 MF35 in museum workshop, David in background busy with hayturner It was love at first sight  Kev will you behave? I thought that this deserved a blog post of it's own - Kev's new love affair, his 1959/60 MF 35. it really is a nice tractor and in excellent condition. Wendy has now got competition for his affections, it's true, I got the photo to prove it heh heh. Jonathan S

Found these photos from Novermber of ongoing restoration of various implements at the museum and Kevin Sims and his office assistant. Don't sit back Kev ! George finishing off the canopy of one of the museum's carts George Nutt and Jonathan with the finished cart                                           Ransomes of Ipswich potato spinner gearbox As above, we gave it a good coating of oil to prevent further deterioration and freed any seized components.  Wendy with a 21st century wheelbarrow John Nicoll & David Muncey wire brushing the Lister hayrake