Upstairs

The Spiral Staircase

The attic space of Wesley Hall was only accessible by a small hatch in the entrance hall ceiling. It was decided early on that the additional upstairs space would be used as a gemmology library and an archive to complement the museum.

The spiral staircase is one of Wesley Hall’s most striking features. It was designed and made by blacksmith James Godbold of Egton. The steps are made from thick planks of oak; the mezzanine balcony was fitted with reclaimed, antique oak church pews complementing the building's history and original use. If you look carefully you will spot that small forged steel bats have been added to the pews, a nod to the town’s association with Bram Stoker’s Dracula and the famous Goth Festivals.

The mezzanine during construction

Gemmology and Jewellery Library

The Museum of Whitby Jet provides visitors with a vast knowledge of the jet industry and its history. It strives to serve as a place of learning for different gemstones around the world and for the jewellery industry as a whole.

The Roy Huddleston library is named after a great British gemmologist whose specialist books were collected over a very successful career. The collection came to the Museum of Whitby Jet in 2019 along with an incredible and rare collection of replica famous diamonds which serve as excellent historical references to those interested in jewellery and gemmology.

the Roy Huddleston Gemmology and Jewellery Library.