Volunteer historians helped create a special exhibition focusing on the changing uses of the museum’s home in Trinity Church.
Members of the history groups from the local U3A (University of the Third Age) developed their research and curatorial skills by working on the project.
Changing Places: One building. 1000 years, charts the former Trinity Church’s past through memories and objects relating to its previous uses.
The museum has been based in the building in the centre of the market place, since 1973, and there’s been a church on the site since the mid 12th century. It’s thought it was first built for use by soldiers, as it was within the walls of the castle’s original bailey.
“Whilst the history of the building is well documented, the sixth month long project saw us researching the lives of the people connected to it, including a butcher, a saddler, a bellman and the town crier,” explains the museum’s Community Liaison Officer, Virginia Arrowsmith.
“The volunteers delved into the story using sources such as census information, historic maps and photographs, as well oral accounts from older members of the community with memories of the area around the market place dating back to the late 1920’s.”
A reminiscence session was held at Greyfriars extra care housing scheme, and, as word spread in the town about the research that was being carried out, local people popped into the museum with photographs and information, and shared their memories with us.
The Changing Places exhibition ran from May to mid August 2015.
Visitors to the museum can see some of the information panels from the exhibition on display permanently in the building. Other elements have been taken to the county archive in Northallerton and put on display until mid December 2015.