Exhibitions, Education and Outreach

The defences at Yarmouth Castle, Isle of Wight. © Skyscan Balloon Photography Yarmouth Castle

Yarmouth Castle in the Isle of Wight is one of the last coastal artillery fortresses built on the orders of King Henry VIII.  Thanks to the Development Fund, English Heritage is now able to completely able to reinterpret the Tudor Fort and to bring the three stories currently told in the Castle into a logical narrative.  This will include a new exhibition and displays involving audio-visual material and objects.  English Heritage is working closely with a number of local partners and with colleagues in the maritime team to tell the dramatic story of the many historic wrecks in the nearby waters.

The monastic cloister buildings of the Cistercian abbey of Cleeve, Somerset Cleeve Abbey

One of the best-preserved Cistercian complexes in Britain, Cleeve Abbey in Somerset was originally founded in the late 12th century.  Donations and bequests to the Development Fund mean that Cleeve Abbey will soon see new displays installed in the roofed area of the site adjacent to the ticket office.  This will involve removing the poor, damaged and incorrected existing displays, to install simple but attractive graphics based displays.  The aim of this project is to demonstrate why Cleeve Abbey is such an important site; the contrast between 13th century and later medieval life at the Abbey; and how the abbey buildings reflect the ideals of monastic life.  The site is valued as a very special place of peace and quiet derived from its monastic origins.

The ruins of Etal Castle, Northumberland Etal Castle

Etal Castle in Northumberland was built in the mid-14th century by Robert Manners as a defence against Scots raiders, in a strategic position by a ford over the River Till.  A new project supported by the Development Fund will involve the design and installation of new interpretative panels within the existing exhibition, to provide the information currently contained on the audio-tour (which is shortly to be discontinued).

New Interpretative Panels

Donations and bequests are paying for 40 new interpretative panels at 17 sites all over the country, from The Nine Stones in the South West to Bowes Castle in the North East.  The new explanatory display boards will contain specially commissioned artwork and reconstruction drawings.