Bailiffgate Museum set to move into historic new home after £4.3m award
Museum hits multi-million-pound jackpot for move which will revive Georgian hall in the heart of its Northumberland town. Tony Henderson reports
A volunteer-run museum has landed a £4.3 million award which will see it expand its activities and bring back to full life a town centre historic building.
Since its creation, the Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery in Alnwick has been based in the town’s listed St Mary’s Church for 23 years.
For the past seven years, the museum’s aspiration has been to move into the Grade I-listed Northumberland Hall in the Market Place in Alnwick, which is under-used.
Now the National Lottery Heritage Fund has provided the major financial boost which will allow the museum’s hopes to be realised by moving into the hall, built in 1826 as a gift by the third Duke of Northumberland to the townspeople.
Bailiffgate has been working with Newcastle architects Mosedale Gillatt on concepts for using the hall as a base for the museum, allowing the staging of national and international exhibitions, and for community purposes and events.
The 60 volunteers envisage the hall becoming a heritage and community hub.
Jean Humphrys, chair of trustees at Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery, said: “This award is amazing, absolutely fantastic. What it means for a volunteer-run museum, almost no words can describe.
“Trustees and volunteers at Bailiffgate are jubilant to have been given such a significant grant to take forward the refurbishment of Northumberland Hall.
“We are local people, with a passion for Alnwick and Northumberland, its history and its culture, and we are delighted to have this unique opportunity to make an exciting contribution to revitalising the town for the community and visitors.”
It is hoped that work will start on preparing the hall for its new role next spring, with an opening date around a year later.
“It is a lovely building but it has been used spasmodically. At our present base we have reached a point where we can’t do all the things we want to do, and the hall gives us a location in the heart of Alnwick,” said Jean.
The museum took over the church when the congregation moved to another location.
“We love it, but we can’t keep doing the same things over and over. It was felt that we had to continue to be as ambitious as we have been in the past, and this was too good an opportunity to miss,” said Jean.
The vision to transform Northumberland Hall into the museum's new home includes refurbishment and renovation of the building and the creation of inspirational interpretation of the Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery collections.
Through the dedication of volunteers, the award-winning museum has grown significantly in reputation, scope and reach over the last decade. A move to Northumberland Hall will help continue this growth, while supporting community ventures, showcasing the work of local creatives, providing meeting space for volunteers and local groups, attracting new audiences, and growing visitor numbers.
Ivor Crowther, head of investment, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Investing in heritage means investing in the community it belongs to, which is why we are proud to support the volunteer-led Bailiffgate Museum & Gallery.
“We are delighted that our funding will see the grand Northumberland Hall revamped and transformed into a new home for the museum, enabling more heritage stories to be told and creating more opportunities for visitors to discover them.
“We know heritage has the power to further a sense of pride in place for communities as well as playing a significant role in boosting the local economy and aiding wider regeneration, and this project is sure to do just that.”
The museum is looking for volunteers across a wide range of activities, and there will be events and activities taking place throughout the project, listed on the museum’s social media channels and website.