The Barnes Institute

The Barnes Institute in Whitburn was built in 1905, a gift to the village from Eleanor Barnes, wife of local benefactor Thomas Barnes. Constructed in large red brick with a rendered gable, a full-height bay window and Arts and Crafts influenced mock half-timbering, the building originally provided a venue for dances, concerts and meetings and also housed the village library. It stands within the Whitburn Conservation Area, designated in 1973, which recognises the wider historic character of the village centre. The Institute remains a community building in Whitburn, between South Shields and Sunderland, still used for local social and cultural activities.