Beamish Museum opens new 1950s Coronation Recreation Ground

CHILDREN will be able to enjoy plenty of 50s fun with the opening of a new Coronation Park and Recreation Ground at Beamish Museum.

The 1950s park, officially opened today (May 27) includes a playground with traditional-style play equipment, including a sandpit, slide, swings, football area, giants draught board.

Chidren will be able to Tackle the Lambton Worm, tee-off under the Tyne Bridge, slice around Sycamore Gap and hit a hole-in-one on High and Low Force in a mini golf course featuring holes inspired by North East landmarks and stories.

The park is part of the Remaking Beamish project. It follows the opening of Spain’s Field Farm, which opened at the museum in March.

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The opening of Coronation Park, named in honour of The Queen, will be followed by a week of celebrations during the local half term (May 28 to June 5) to celebrate The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

There will be street parties, football fun, crown making, music and Coronation-themed window displays.

The 1950s was the heyday of amateur football, this story is represented in our football area. The museum has been working with Durham Amateur Football Trust to develop the football area in The 1950s Town and tell the story of football in the decade.

The Northern Echo: The new Coronation Park and Recreation Ground at Beamish Museum Pictures: BEAMISH MUSEUM The new Coronation Park and Recreation Ground at Beamish Museum Pictures: BEAMISH MUSEUM

Visitors will be able to find out more about the strength of grassroots football in the North East in the pitch-side changing hut.

Situated next to the welfare hall, Coronation Park will be the perfect outdoor space for the young and young at heart, and will meet all current health and safety standards.

Coronation Park is inspired by stories and images of recreation grounds and leisure facilities from around the North East in the 1950s – some grounds newly created alongside developing housing estates and others well established by the 1950s.

The Northern Echo: The new Coronation Park and Recreation Ground at Beamish Museum Picture: BEAMISH MUSEUM The new Coronation Park and Recreation Ground at Beamish Museum Picture: BEAMISH MUSEUM

A giant draughts board was inspired by an image of a giant draughts board in Chester-le-Street Riverside Park and sits alongside a mini golf course inspired by archive images of courses including one at Saltburn-by-the-Sea.

The park will also include a playground, sandpit, giant draughts board and football area.

The Northern Echo: The new Coronation Park and Recreation Ground at Beamish Museum Picture: BEAMISH MUSEUM The new Coronation Park and Recreation Ground at Beamish Museum Picture: BEAMISH MUSEUM

Coronation Park is part of the Remaking Beamish project, which also includes The 1950s Town, 1950s Farm, Georgian expansion and transport developments. The Remaking Beamish project was awarded a £10.9million grant by the National Lottery Heritage Fund in 2016.

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