Elsecar Heritage Centre unveils a brand-new Visitor Centre

Thursday 10 July 2025 marks the exciting opening of a brand-new Visitor Centre at Elsecar Heritage Centre.  

Our new Visitor Centre is designed to help visitors uncover 250 years of Elsecar’s fascinating history and the compelling stories of the people who lived and worked here. Elsecar's journey from a quiet hamlet to a thriving industrial village is brought to life through engaging exhibits and hands-on activities suitable for families of all ages. The Centre now shares more information about the village, changes throughout Elsecar’s history, new archival materials, and a greater number of historical collections on display.  

People will be able to explore how Elsecar Heritage Centre established itself as an important industrial heritage site with global connections. Elsecar was a model industrial village concept, built and developed over many years by the Fitzwilliam family in connection with Wentworth Woodhouse. Highlights in our heritage include the Newcomen Beam Engine, one of the oldest steam engines in the world still in its original location. In April 1928, Henry Ford famously offered a ‘blank cheque’ to purchase the engine for his museum in Michigan, but the offer was declined by Earl Fitzwilliam. This is why this iconic piece of engineering history remained at Elsecar! 

Adding a deeply personal touch, a watch crafted by local watchmaker Henry Vaughan will go on display for the first time. This watch, previously purchased by the Barnsley Museums and Heritage Trust for the museum collection, holds a fascinating connection. Henry Vaughan’s great-granddaughter is now part of the Visitor Centre's staff - a discovery made during this very project.  

Since the project began in September 2024, extensive consultation and engagement activities have been undertaken to make sure the Visitor Centre truly reflects our communities. 

We worked with the Barnsley Blind and Partially Sighted Association, who provided insights into what items would work well for visitors. Inspired by their input, replica objects are being created, which will in future have audio descriptions too. Meanwhile, the "Echoes Through Time" trail, co-created with the youth group Next Big Thing as a temporary activity last summer, has now been incorporated into the wider visitor experience. Families, residents, visitors and local schools have also contributed valuable input. 

Sessions with volunteers during the Building Bridges project also included training in oral history recording and community reporting. These efforts have enriched the Visitor Centre's narrative, including a recreation of Elsecar Main Colliery in a 1980s-inspired animation set to debut at the Visitor Centre’s launch.  

The Visitor Centre takes visitors through legacy and changes of Elsecar, right up to present day where the Elsecar New Yard workshops have been repurposed from an industrial working site to a vibrant heritage centre filled with independent businesses, shops and cafes!  

In addition to a greater collection of historical artefacts on display, visitors can now explore interactive elements such as models, dressing-up opportunities, trails, and even sensory features like historical smells. New external interpretation signage around the site provides detailed context on how buildings have evolved over time, while updated navigational signage ensures a seamless visitor experience.  

Cllr Robin Franklin, cabinet spokesperson for Regeneration and Culture at Barnsley Council, said: “This project is a fantastic example of how community engagement can create something truly special. Every contribution has helped to make this centre an outstanding resource for everyone, and it’s truly fascinating to explore Elsecar’s long and impressive history. I encourage residents and visitors to come and discover this wonderful addition to Elsecar Heritage Centre.”  

This milestone represents the first phase of the wider Elsecar Heritage Centre improvements. Drainage and public realm works will start later this year, and other buildings including the Ironworks are due to be completed in Spring 2026.   

This project was made possible through funding from the Cultural Development Fund, supported using public funding by Arts Council England. 

Thanks to other funders, National Lottery Heritage Fund and Creative Minds, for funding projects referenced at Elsecar Heritage Centre.