Council ponders £260k plan for museum - The Worcester Observer

Council ponders £260k plan for museum

Worcester Editorial 22nd Jul, 2015 Updated: 19th Oct, 2016   0

A HISTORIC Worcester landmark could be set for a £260,000 transformation into a national Civil War museum under proposals to be debated by city council chiefs.

Worcester City Council will meet on Tuesday (July 28) to decide whether or not to invest the cash into the historic Commandery to turn the building into a national Civil War-themed visitor attraction.

If given the green light the Sidbury site would begin development after the summer activities are complete.

The Grade I listed building would see improvements to the 600-year-old structure’s environmental conditions and the addition of a Battle of Worcester visitor experience which would be in place by summer 2016.




Among the exciting displays to be featured are visits by US Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson who declared the city to be ‘the ground where liberty was fought for’ during the Civil War.

Council chiefs on the city’s council’s cabinet will be asked to approve the proposal and explore the potential of learning and income generation as well as the making over of the current shop.


Coun Lucy Hodgson, cabinet member for history and heritage, said: “Almost a decade ago work focused on the restoration of the Commandery and revealed a beautiful, historic building.

“We are now at the point where we can realise our ambitions to focus new displays and interpretation in the building on Worcester’s Civil War story and our unique place in history, creating a visitor attraction which will sit at the heart of Worcester’s heritage offer.

“You can’t beat the experience of visiting a place where history literally happened, and that’s what we want visitors to feel when they visit The Commandery.”

Museums Worcestershire commissioned research that showed investment in The Commandery would contribute to Worcester’s visitor economy and enhance its status as an English Heritage city.

Iain Rutherford, head of Museums Worcestershire told the Observer: “The changes will help put Worcester on the map as the Civil War City when we relaunch in 2016.

“This funding from the City Council will provide a huge improvement to our visitor offer in the form of a new presentation about the Battle of Worcester story.

“It will include the fate of the King’s Scottish Army and the visit of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two U.S. Presidents who came to Worcester to see where liberty had been fought for – both are new subjects for the Commandery displays.”

Proposals for the improvements were put forward to the Joint Museums Committee in March and the members received the final report in June.

If it goes ahead the city council will fund the project from the New Homes Bonus money from the Government.

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