Bridgnorth’s Northgate Museum reopens
Bridgnorth’s Northgate Museum has reopened to the public following a refurbishment.
Mayor of Bridgnorth, Councillor Ron Whittle, cut a ribbon to mark the reopening.
The museum has been redecorated, new lighting has been installed and it has benefited from a new roof and ceiling.
From an Edwardian cash till to a model of Trevithick’s Steam Engine, its collections tell the history of the town and the local area.
It is run and managed by volunteers from the Bridgnorth and District Historical Society, which founded the museum in 1951. Edward Marshall, chairman of the historical society, also made a speech at the reopening ceremony.
He said: “This museum has always been run by volunteers. Even so, in 2007 it received accreditation status, the same accreditation level achieved by all the great national museums.
“Today we still have this accreditation status with the Arts Council England.
“In recent years the building has been getting rather tired, the roof began to leak, which caused the ceiling to look a mess, and a survey indicated the possibility of some structural problems.
“The town council undertook a major refurbishment of the building last autumn which fortunately revealed no major structural problems, but a new roof and ceiling were installed.”
“Along with better and more modern lighting and subsequent redecoration we now have, in effect, a new building.”
Prior to the renovation work being undertaken, all the pictures and other items hanging on the walls were taken down, and many items removed from the building and stored elsewhere.
For the last few months volunteers have been cleaning and reassembling the displays.
This year there is a new item on display – a model of Bridgnorth Castle as it probably looked in 1646, at the time of the siege. and surrender to parliamentary forces during the Civil War.
It has been made by local resident Gerry West.
For more information about the museum and opening times visit bridgnorthmuseum.org.uk
