Patrick Comerford
When I was in Tamworth last week, it was exciting to hear about the plans to create a community-run, inspiring state-of-the-art Heritage Centre in the heart of the town, close to Saint Editha’s Church.
The proposed building for the Heritage Centre at 30 Church Street is ideal. It is in the very heart of the town centre, easily accessible with nearby parking, adjacent to the new Tamworth College and, originally designed as a bank, it offers excellent security features for important artefacts and documents.
The Revd Andrew Lythall, Vicar of Tamworth, says: ‘I am thrilled to be a part of this project and I know I speak for everyone at Saint Editha’s Church to say that we are excited to be a key stakeholder … in the development of a creative, permanent heritage hub for Tamworth.’
A crowdfunding campaign hopes to create a heritage centre that allows people to explore, celebrate, understand and take pride in the rich history of Tamworth, from the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia to the industrial revolution and beyond.
Dr David Biggs, chair of the Tamworth and District Civic Society, has described it as a ‘wonderful and rare opportunity’ to make the most of the ‘town’s incredible heritage and history for the benefit of residents and visitors.’
The venture is is a collaborative enterprise involving Saint Editha’s Church, Tamworth; Tamworth Castle Museum; the Tamworth Town Centre Forum; the Tamworth and District Civic Society; and other heritage and culture groups across Tamworth and the surrounding area. The Tamworth Town Centre Forum is managing the fundraising drive on behalf of Saint Editha's Church.
Many of Tamworth’s historical treasures are hidden from view because of a lack of exhibition space. The project aims to bring them into the spotlight, ensuring they are preserved and appreciated for generations to come.
The project hopes to make history more accessible by showcasing the best of Tamworth. The centre will feature an extensive collection of art, artefacts, relics, and historical finds – many of which have never been displayed before.
Lara Rowe, Tamworth Castle Museum and Archives Manager, says the new heritage centre ‘would enable us to increase access to the museum collections and archives, and would provide a valuable cultural asset for the town.’
The vision is for a new Tamworth Heritage Centre that serves as a museum and art gallery and a hub for education, tourism, and cultural activities.
Sarah Edwards, MP for Tamworth, says a ‘world class Heritage Centre will help put Tamworth clearly on the map and support a wider ecosystem of heritage, culture, arts and community programmes that are vital to maintaining a strong community.’
The funds raised in the crowdfunding campaign will go directly to:
• establishing the heritage centre in a prime town centre location
• creating interactive, inspiring exhibits showcasing Tamworth’s history
• curating educational programmes for schools and local groups
• developing a space for workshops, talks, and events
• creating a digital archive that provides access to Tamworth’s history.
The centre is planned to provide interactive exhibits, museum spaces, dedicated galleries, rolling exhibitions of other collections; a community learning zone with space for educational programmes, talks, and workshops, a research area, and a digital archive with virtual access to exhibitions, collections and research materials.
The centre will feature:
• over 150 sq m of permanent and temporary exhibition space
• a dedicated art gallery – the first of its kind in Tamworth
• research rooms for archival and historical research
• two self-contained offices for community groups and start-up ventures
• meeting space for the wider community
• over 100 square meters of museum-standard archival storage space
• completely accessible facilities
• a gift shop
• parking for six cars
• the potential to add a further 30 sq m of gallery space.
The organisers are raising funds to meet costs associated with buying the centre, and fitting out and converting it into a state-of-the-art heritage resource. They hope to complete fundraising by July and to open the centre in December 2025.
As a thanks to supporters they are offering these rewards to donors:
• £50: a special thank you letter plus a unique Heritage Centre badge
• £150: the above plus an invitation to the grand opening ceremony
• £300: the above plus your name printed in a special commemorative souvenir booklet
• £1,000: the above as well as your name on a special donors board in the centre.
Corporate sponsorship opportunities are also available.
It is anticipated that the centre would be open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 2 pm, with the times extended for special events, functions and exhibitions.
More details can be found HERE
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