New Saxon gallery for Tamworth Castle thanks to National Lottery players
A new interactive and family friendly gallery at Tamworth Castle – devoted to Tamworth’s Anglo-Saxon history and the Staffordshire Hoard – has moved a step closer following the awarding of a £499,900 grant funding by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), thanks to money raised by National Lottery players.
The project will create an innovative and engaging permanent exhibition exploring and celebrating Tamworth’s important Anglo-Saxon history. The exhibition will showcase pieces of the Staffordshire Hoard and artefacts from Tamworth Castle’s collection. It will explore many exciting aspects of the Staffordshire Hoard including themes of battle, Kingship and the warrior culture in Anglo-Saxon Mercia.
The first stage of the new gallery known as the ‘Battle and Tribute Project,’ was awarded a £55,500 development grant from the HLF and £13,900 in funding by Tamworth Borough Council, to enable full research and development of the project.
Extensive consultation and visitors surveys, has shaped the new exhibition and will look to include a Battle film experience, a Mead Hall or Saxon Palace and an interactive battle touch-table game. Displays will help link the story of the hoard to everyday Saxon life and culture of the Mercian Kingdom.
The exhibition will be interactive and family orientated to suit a range of audiences. Displays will examine the battle connections between the hoard pieces and the warring tribal communities that settled around Tamworth and who started to form the Kingdom of Mercia.
The project will involve some conservation work to the castle building and also includes work in partnership with Tamworth Town Guides and Tamworth schools to develop accompanying activities including education workshops, living history characters, a Saxon Town Tour and an Anglo-Saxon festival to launch the new gallery.
The new gallery on the top floor of the castle is to go ahead following the awarding of the HLF grant, which is 65% of the project total of £768,379. The remainder of the cost will be match funded from Tamworth Borough Council, the Ready to Borrow Scheme supported by the Arts Council England and Friends of Tamworth Castle.
Cllr Joy Goodall, Cabinet member for Environment & Culture said:"Since the creation of the Staffordshire Hoard Trail and the subsequent exhibition of the Staffordshire Hoard at Tamworth Castle, we have been working towards developing an exhibition that will enhance the hoard display and Tamworth's Saxon history.
“The first round of HLF funding allowed us the means to explore and develop the most advantageous ways to put forward a comprehensive second bid for funding to now carry out the work.
“Previous HLF grants have allowed us to carry out essential conservation work on the castle and detailed interpretation development and this latest funding will allow us to offer a state-of-the-art exhibition which will significantly add to the attraction for visitors for years to come.
“This project represents another huge investment in Tamworth
The new gallery will allow Tamworth
Vanessa Harbar, Head of the HLF West Midlands said: “We are delighted to support this project, which will create a permanent gallery for objects from the Staffordshire Hoard at Tamworth Castle.
“This is a fantastic addition to the Staffordshire Hoard Trail in the West Midlands in the West Midlands, which also features National Lottery funded displays at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and will mean that more people will be able to get involved with, protect, and learn about the exciting heritage right on their doorstep.”
The Staffordshire Hoard is owned by Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent City Councils, and managed on their behalf by Birmingham Museums Trust and the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent.
About the Heritage Lottery Fund
Thanks to National Lottery players, we invest money to help people across the UK explore, enjoy and protect the heritage they care about - from the archaeology under our feet to the historic parks and buildings we love, from precious memories and collections to rare wildlife. www.hlf.org.uk. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and use #HLFsupported.
