For over a century after 1720, the village of Staithes was a major hub for the "Free Trade" - better known as smuggling. While official industries like fishing and ironstone production were important, smuggling formed a vital "hidden economy" that supplemented the income of almost every resident. The unique architecture of the town, with its labyrinthine network of passages, attic hatches, and hidden cellars, made it the perfect haunt for evading the law. Smuggling was a true

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

This fascinating piece of research was kindly shared with us by cricket historian Roy Hyde, who visited Staithes Museum with his wife Doctor Helen Hyde last year. While exploring the early history of cricket in the village, Roy uncovered a remarkable find: a celebratory cricket song written and performed in Staithes in 1897, along with the rich story of the team, the people involved, and the brief but brilliant heyday of Staithes Cricket Club at the end of the nineteenth cent

As you enter the Staithes Museum, the first exhibit shows the tools of the fisherman’s trade - labelled, not in English, but in Staithes Dialect. It’s your opportunity to take a dip into the rich linguistic tapestry of our village, a local speech often considered more than just a dialect - a living language that has survived with "great tenacity". The isolation of Staithes before the arrival of the railway in 1885 allowed many ancient characteristics of its speech to persist.

A painting of Grief Among the paintings that capture the soul of Staithes, few convey its emotional depth as powerfully as Harold...

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'...

This brief guide was originally written by Al Milnes from the gallery for our volunteers to help them share Staithes’ artistic history...

Among the many treasures in Staithes Museum’s collection is a fascinating handwritten account of the village’s past, titled History of...