Almonry Museum and Heritage Centre facts for kids
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| Established | 1957 |
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| Location | Evesham, England |
The Almonry Museum and Tourist Information Centre is a cool museum in Evesham, England. People often call it The Almonry Museum or just The Almonry. The Evesham Town Council runs this museum. It teaches visitors all about the history of Evesham and the beautiful Vale of Evesham area. The museum is named after its original purpose. It was once the almonry of Evesham Abbey, which was built in the 1300s. The museum first opened its doors in this historic building in 1957.
Contents
History of The Almonry
The Almonry Museum is located in a very old building. It was built in the 1300s. This building was once part of Evesham Abbey. This abbey was a large and important monastery. It was the third biggest abbey in England.
What is an Almonry?
The word "almonry" means it was the home of the almoner. An almoner was a special monk. Their job was to give alms (help or charity) to people who were poor.
The Abbey's End
King Henry VIII closed Evesham Abbey. This happened during a time called the Dissolution of the Monasteries. After the abbey closed, the Almonry became a private home. The last leader of the abbey, Philip Ballard, lived there. Today, you can still see parts of the old abbey nearby. These include two churches, a bell tower, and a cloister arch.
The Building's Journey
The Almonry building is very special. It is a "Grade I listed building." This means it's a very important historic place. It was first listed in 1952. The building is made from stone and wood. It has a roof made of Cotswold stone. More parts were added to the building in the 1400s and 1600s.
After the abbey closed, the Almonry had many different uses. It was a pub, offices, tea rooms, and even a private house. In 1929, the Evesham Borough Council bought the building. It then opened as a heritage centre in 1957.
What You Can See at The Almonry
The museum has interesting displays in 12 small rooms. It mainly focuses on the history of Evesham.
Main Topics and Collections
You can learn about many things, like:
- The history of Evesham Abbey.
- The Battle of Evesham from 1265.
- How farming worked in the local area.
- Ancient Anglo-Saxon burial treasures.
- Clothes from the 1700s.
- How wars affected the town of Evesham.
The museum also has displays about palaeontology (studying old fossils). It also covers archaeology (studying old human history). There is also a collection of beautiful artworks.
How The Museum Works
Evesham Town Council owns and runs the Almonry Museum. The museum shares its building with the Evesham Tourism Office. This office helps visitors find out about things to do in Evesham. The museum has "Full Accreditation status" from Arts Council England. This means it meets high standards for museums.
Past Projects and Funding
In 2013, a project called "The Great Big Almonry Project" started. Its goal was to get money to improve the museum.
Project Goals
The project had three main aims:
- To better protect the old building.
- To make the exhibitions more interesting and easier to understand.
- To make the museum easier for everyone to visit, including those with disabilities.
In 2014, the project received good news. It passed the first step of a funding application. This was with the Heritage Lottery Fund. The project was given £43,400. This money helped them plan for a bigger funding request. They aimed to get £1,355,100 for the project.
