Current Exhibition
Forged by Hand:
Shipbuilding and Lead Mining in North Yorkshire
This exhibition celebrates two important parts of the industry of North Yorkshire.
Explore the history of the Cochranes of Selby shipyard through original plans, records, and personal stories found in the collections held at North Yorkshire Archives. Celebrating over 80 years of shipbuilding, highlighting the Cochrane family and the skilled workers who shaped the yard’s legacy.
Discover how lead mining has played a crucial part in the economy, industry, and history of the Yorkshire Dales through 16th century deeds, a dispute over hushing, maps, and photographs to show how lead mining has left permanent reminders in the geography, and in the archival record.
The exhibition will run from February to April 2026 at the Archives.
Tuesday to Friday 9.30am to 4pm
free admission, no need to book
Events
North Yorkshire Archives Discovery Day
North Yorkshire: A Living Landscape
Thursday 21 May 2026, 2pm-7pm, Free entry – no need to book
Join North Yorkshire Archives for an exploration through the living landscape, celebrating the distinctive nature of North Yorkshire.
Our annual event brings together remarkable archive collections to explore how land, weather, people and ideas have shaped the county we recognise today through historic maps, medieval place-names, geology, weather, fields, woodlands and botany.
Uncover the stories of people who helped to interpret the landscape including archaeologist and geologist of the Yorkshire Dales Arthur Raistrick, and 19th-century geologist Martin Simpson, renowned for his pioneering studies of the Jurassic North Yorkshire coast.
You can also explore the art of letterlocking – the ingenious technique that allowed letters to travel safely without envelopes – and try it yourself with a paper-folding activity.
Public Tours of North Yorkshire Archives
followed by an introduction to using our collections
Dates for 2026
Tuesday 12th May, 10.30am – 12.30pm
Thursday 11th June, 2.30pm – 4.30pm
Wednesday 22nd July, 10.30am – 12.30pm
Tuesday 18th August, 2.30pm – 4.30pm
Tuesday 15th September, 10.30am – 12.30pm
Wednesday 14th October, 10.30am – 12.30pm
Cost: £3.40pp, payable in advance: book here
Venue: North Yorkshire Archives
Explore behind the scenes to find out how we store our archival collections, held onsite on over 5 miles of shelving. Visit our specialist conservation and reprographics studios to see how our collections are preserved and copied.
The tour will be followed by an introduction to our public search room, where you can view our collections and be inspired to start your own research. A member of the Archives Team will be available to answer your questions on local history, house history, family history and much more.
Our tours are limited to 15 people, so book today to secure your place.
If you have any additional requirements or would like to discuss access
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