Take a look behind Alnwick’s famous green door!
Take a look behind Alnwick’s most famous door and learn the fascinating history of the Mechanic’s Institute at one of the Heritage Open Day events in Alnwick.
Booking is not required – Alnwick Town Council invite you to go along between 10.30 am and 4pm on Saturday September 19th.
Two centuries ago Alnwick was at the forefront of a movement that laid the foundations for further education in Britain.
Mechanics’ Institutes were the brainchild of Thomas Birkbeck, after whom the London College is named. They began in Edinburgh in 1821. Alnwick Mechanic’s Institute was founded in 1824 as one of the first in England. This was a time of growing social unrest and rapid technological change. For most people education was rudimentary. Mechanics’ Institutes were intended to equip ordinary working people with the knowledge and skills needed to prosper in a rapidly changing world.
The remarkable building, by local architect William Smith, dates from 1831 and has changed little in almost two hundred years. It could be earliest surviving example of a purpose-built Mechanics’ Institute that is still (more-or-less) in its original form.
The notable green entrance door is based on Egyptian monumental temple gates. These were designed to lead the eye through the temple itself to, in the distance, ‘the mountains of the horizon’, symbolising aspiration – entering the Institute meant looking for enlightenment.
Today, the Mechanics’ Institute is a Grade 2 listed building, managed by the Alnwick Town Council and is available for community use.
