What did it feel like to grow up in Staithes in the early twentieth century? What did children wear, what did they get up to, and what happened when you wanted to go to Sunday School but your clothes weren't quite up to scratch? We can find out from an unlikely source: a life story written by the Reverend W. T. Mugford, who left Yorkshire for America and eventually became a Baptist minister. His booklet, From an English Pit to an American Pulpit, recounts a life of faith, fam

David Clark’s book, Between Pulpit and Pew, is a study of how religion actually worked in Staithes during the mid-1970s. Instead of just looking at what ministers preached, Clark looked at the "folk religion"—the local traditions, superstitions, and habits that really mattered to the villagers Here are the main ideas he discusses: 1. Official Religion vs. Folk Religion Official Religion: This is the formal stuff—the rules of the Methodist or Anglican church and what the minis

When we think about history, we often think about what was written down — records, diaries, official documents. But in Staithes, much of the village’s past was sung. Songs carried stories. Hymns carried grief. Choruses carried community. And for generations, the people of Staithes filled chapels, cottages, pubs, hillsides and even the open seafront with music. Just recently, we shared a Victorian Staithes cricket song on this blog (here) — full of local jokes and references —

Welcome to the Staithes Museum blog! As you stand within our walls, you're not just in a building, but within a cornerstone of Staithes' vibrant social and religious history: the former Primitive Methodist Chapel [Staithes Now and Then, c.1990-95, p. 271-272]. Staithes, a village clinging to the North Yorkshire coast, has a rich and complex past, where fishing, industry, and faith were deeply intertwined. Religion, particularly Methodism, has played a pervasive role in shapin