Castle Eden Methodist Circuit

30/01/2026

We are hiring!
And there are so many great reasons that you should come and work with us 🤩

Email Reverend Beverly Hollings for more info:
[email protected]

23/07/2025

02/07/2025

Dive deep into the story of Horden! Forged in coal, carved by industry, and transformed by change. A brand new play from Ensemble ‘84. August 19th - August 23rd, Horden Methodist Church. Book now: ensemble84.com/pits-people-players / 0191 524 2578

17/06/2025

The heritage, resilience, and future of Horden. Tickets are on-sale now for our next production, ‘Pits, People and Players’ – created in celebration of Horden’s 125th Anniversary.

Join us for a brand new production that dives deep into the story of Horden — a village forged in coal, carved by industry, and transformed by change. Rooted in the lived experience of local people and crafted from a tapestry of testimony, memory, and imagination, this show is a tribute to the power of place, the endurance of stories, and the necessity of hope.

Blending theatre, storytelling and music, it explores Horden’s rise as a pillar of the UK’s industrial might – with Horden Colliery setting a European record for coal mining in 1930 – and the painful unravelling that followed the pit closures in 1987, a seismic loss that has reshaped both place and people.

But this isn’t just a story of decline. With care and candour, the production looks ahead to a future marked by shifting demographics, new challenges, and a fierce desire for renewal. It asks vital questions about identity, belonging, and the meaning of community in a changing world.

Directed by Mark Dornford-May and performed by our all-County-Durham cast in the immersive setting of Horden Methodist Church.

📍 Horden Methodist Church, Blackhills Road, Horden, County Durham
📅 Dates: August 19th - 23rd, 2025
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM (Evenings), 2:30 PM (Matinees)
⚠️ Advisory: May contain flashing lights, loud music and strong language.

🎟️ Tickets £5 - £18 (Age restriction advised 12+) → Book now at ensemble84.com/pits-people-players / 0191 524 2578

Don’t miss out – join us at Horden Methodist Church from August 19th - 23rd, 2025.

Into the Light Visit Durham Culture Durham No More Nowt Northern Heartlands CIO TIN Arts Beamish Museum The Bowes Museum TheForge NorthEast Durham University

05/06/2025

Opened in May 2024, the Welcome Centre has become the heart of rural Easington Colliery, where it offers affordable and green activities every day for the whole family.

15/04/2025

New dates added! Due to popular demand, we have added two additional dates for our debut production 'Mother Courage and Her Children' in May at Horden Methodist Church.

Don't miss out! Get your tickets at ensemble84.com/mother-courage or call our Box Office on 0191 524 2578.

📍 Horden Methodist Church, Blackhills Road, Horden, County Durham
📅 Dates: May 14th – May 24th, 2025
⏰ Time: 7:30 PM (Evenings), 2:30 PM (Matinees)
⚠️ Advisory: May contain flashing lights, loud music and strong language.
🎟️ Tickets £5 - £18 (Age restriction advised 12+) → Book now at ensemble84.com/mother-courage / 0191 524 2578

Thank you to all who have already bought tickets, we are thrilled you will be joining us!

14/04/2025

Ensemble ‘84 present a bold new reimagining of Bertolt Brecht’s classic anti-war play, Mother Courage and Her Children, translated by Lee Hall, performed by an all County-Durham cast and members of South Africa’s acclaimed Isango Ensemble.
This striking production fuses theatre, music, and movement to tell the gripping story of a mother navigating war, survival, and sacrifice. A vital, urgent piece of storytelling that resonates today more than ever.

Venue: Horden Methodist Church, Blackhills Road, Horden. Co Durham

Dates: May 14th - May 24th, 2025

Time – 7:30pm, 2:30pm Matinee

Content Advisory: May contain flashing lights, loud music and strong language.
Tickets: £5 - £18 (Age restriction advised 12+)

Box office – ensemble84.com/mother-courage / 0191 524 2578