Cathedral To Receive £3.9 Million

Durham Cathedral is beginning a £10 million Open Treasure Project which will see the creation of new exhibitions including the display of original 13th century copies of the Magna Carta during the document’s 800th anniversary in 2015.

Magna Carta: 800 years old.

The money will also go towards new exhibition spaces being created in buildings around the medieval Cloister as well as essential fabric repairs being made to the claustral buildings.

The idea is that visitors will be able to move through a series of exhibitions that retell the story of the Cathedral and its Christian heritage. Work will start early 2014 and will hopefully be completed in 2015.

From L-R: Project architect Chris Cotton, Niall Hammond from HLF and Michael Sadgrove.

To accompany the new exhibitions there will be a varied programme of events, lectures, tours and workshops which will create further training opportunities for Cathedral staff and volunteers.

Over 600,000 people visit the Cathedral each year, so the Open Treasure project aims to increase this number by providing a more enriching experience.

Michael Sadgrove: Not sad. Follow him on twitter @Sadgrovem.

The Very Reverend Michael Sadgrove, Dean of Durham said, “I am delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has made this award towards Open Treasure. This is a huge boost as we continue to seek the full funding required to realise the creation of first class exhibition spaces worthy of the Cathedral’s wonderful collections of historic artefacts and treasures.”

Ivor Crowther: Chuffed.

Ivor Crowther, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund North East, said, “We at HLF are proud to be supporting these exciting plans that include opening up the Cathedral’s treasured collections and ensuring there are lots of opportunities for everyone to appreciate and enjoy them long into the future.”