Medieval History
A medieval landmark in Canterbury, England, which was facing closure because of lack of revenues, will now be kept open and leased to a local businessman. The Westgate Tower Museum, the largest medieval gateway in Great Britain, will now be operated by Charles Lambie, who owns an old jail next door to the museum. Mr. Lambie has already donated £250,000 to the Canterbury City Council to keep the museum open.
Mr. Lambie plans to combine the museum and old jail into one attraction that will include a cafe. In an interview with the BBC, he described the Westgate Tower as "Canterbury's second most iconic building after the cathedral. If ever I have visitors coming to Canterbury I always start by taking them to the Westgate Towers, go up those wonderful staircases, and you can look over the whole city. You can see Canterbury in minutes."
The Westgate Tower was built around 1380. Its museum houses artefacts related to the city's military history. In February the city council decided to close the museum, along with Roman Museum and the Herne's Bay Museum, because of a lack of funds. The decision was met with protests from the local community, and efforts have been made to seek another solution to the situation.
See also the Facebook Group: Save Canterbury's Museums
Sources: BBC, Canterbury City Council
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Medieval History
Westgate Tower Museum in Canterbury is saved from closure
Mr. Lambie plans to combine the museum and old jail into one attraction that will include a cafe. In an interview with the BBC, he described the Westgate Tower as "Canterbury's second most iconic building after the cathedral. If ever I have visitors coming to Canterbury I always start by taking them to the Westgate Towers, go up those wonderful staircases, and you can look over the whole city. You can see Canterbury in minutes."
The Westgate Tower was built around 1380. Its museum houses artefacts related to the city's military history. In February the city council decided to close the museum, along with Roman Museum and the Herne's Bay Museum, because of a lack of funds. The decision was met with protests from the local community, and efforts have been made to seek another solution to the situation.
See also the Facebook Group: Save Canterbury's Museums
Sources: BBC, Canterbury City Council
- The Fake Medieval Images In Canterbury Cathedral
Thousands of visitors come into Canterbury Cathedral each day, where they gaze upon the hundreds of years of history in one of England?s greatest churches. Many of them will see the great stained glass images in the windows of the cathedral, believing...
- Westgate Towers In Canterbury To Be Blocked From Traffic
The massive 14th-century Westgate Towers in Canterbury will no longer see cars passing through its gate, as city officials start a 12-month experimental project to make the roadway accessible only for pedestrians. The aim is to protect and preserve the...
- Views From The Walls: The Story Of Chester's Most Notable Feature
A new exhibition celebrating Chester?s famous city walls will open at the Grosvenor Museum this week (Saturday 16 July). Chester's city walls form the most complete circuit of walls in Britain, so Chester is rightly renowned as 'The Walled City'....
- Canterbury Celebrates A Thousand Years Of History
A unique glimpse into 1000 years of Canterbury's history was unveiled by broadcaster and renowned historian Dr David Starkey at Canterbury Christ Church University last week. Funded by the National Heritage Lottery Fund, the exhibition Canterbury:...
- Henry Ii, Ivory Liturgical Comb
A liturgical comb, c. 1200, English perhaps Canterbury. Ivory, Metropolitan Museum of Art. Carving shows Henry II giving Thomas Becket the archbishopric of Canterbury. The event occurred in Falaise, Normandy, May 1162. On the right it shows the boat ready...