Information on Loughborough

Hordes visit the Hallaton Hoards!

Posted on 21/12/2009

Leicestershire Councty Council Community Services

8 December 2009

Hordes visit the Hallaton Hoards!

Museum staff have been overwhelmed by the public’s reaction to the new Hallaton Treasure Gallery. Record numbers of visitors have been recorded since the Museum re-opened on 19 September. Over 7000 people have passed through its doors in just two and half months – three times more than the Museum saw before its £300,000 redevelopment. One tourist from the USA remarked, ‘I wish my grandchildren were with me to enjoy this wonderful museum!’

The news comes as the Museum also passed the Visit England Quality Assurance Award (VAQAS) with flying colours. VAQAS inspector, Michael Barbour said, ‘The engagement for visitors of all ages is now greatly increased with higher levels of interactivity which creates an extremely good visitor experience and retains the visitor’s interest throughout.’

Key to this rejuvenation of the Museum has been the new Hallaton Treasure Gallery exhibiting the nationally important Iron Age and Roman finds that have stunned academics and visitors alike. More than 5000 coins, some mysterious silver objects and an incredible Roman parade helmet were found that are still yielding their secrets five years after the excavations ended.

Ernie White, Cabinet Member for Museums said, ‘It’s not surprising that there has been so much public interest in the Treasure. When you look at the beautifully crafted coins – of stylised horses, gods and symbols – and then realise that they are 2,000 years old it really is quite breathtaking.’

Museum staff expect interest to remain high as more becomes known about the Treasure and the helmet is returned from conservation at the British Museum next year. A new programme of events and activities is also hoped to entertain and attract new visitors in 2010.

Harborough Museum is open Monday to Saturday between 10.30am and 4:15pm. It is closed from 24 December through to Boxing Day and on New Year’s Day.

For further details about the Treasure Project and Harborough Museum, see the following background details.

  • To contact Harborough Museum phone (01858) 821085 or email harboroughmuseum@leics.gov.uk

Harborough Museum is operated in partnership by Leicestershire County Council, Harborough District Council and the Market Harborough Historical Society.

The Southeast Leicestershire Treasure is the archive of material produced by several stages of archaeological work undertaken by local community archaeologists and University of Leicester Archaeological Services. The site proved to be an internationally important ritual site dating mostly to the generations before and after the Roman Conquest of Britain in the 1st century AD.

The purpose of the project is purchase, conserve, interpret and promote the Southeast Leicestershire Treasure. The cost of the project is £933,872 which includes purchasing the finds, conserving the finds, displays at Harborough Museum and at Hallaton Museum, two touring exhibitions, web based resources, workshops for schools and community groups, and events for the public.

The project is supported by grants from The Heritage Lottery Fund of £650,600, £100,000 from The Art Fund, the UK’s leading independent art charity, £35,000 from the Museums and Art Galleries Improvements Fund, £35,000 from the MLA/V&A Purchase Fund Grant, The Headley Trust, Renaissance East Midlands and local contributions from the Friends of Leicester and Leicestershire Museums, the Leicestershire Museums Archaeological Fieldwork Group and the County Council, as well as private individuals. The support of Harborough District Council is also gratefully acknowledged.

The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) enables communities to celebrate, look after and learn more about our diverse heritage. From our great museums and historic buildings to local parks and beauty spots or recording and celebrating traditions, customs and history, HLF grants open up our nation’s heritage for everyone to enjoy. Since its conception, HLF has supported 26,000 projects allocating over £4 billion across the UK.

The Art Fund is the UK’s leading independent art charity. It offers grants to help UK museums and galleries enrich their collections; campaigns on behalf of museums and their visitors; and promotes the enjoyment of art.  It is entirely funded from public donations and has 80,000 members. Since 1903 the charity has helped museums and galleries all over the UK secure 860,000 works of art for their collections. Recent achievements include: helping secure Titian’s Diana and Actaeon for the National Galleries of Scotland and the National Gallery, London in February 2009 with a grant of £1 million; helping secure Anthony d’Offay’s collection, ARTIST ROOMS, for Tate and National Galleries of Scotland in February 2008 with a grant of £1million; and running the ‘Buy a Brushstroke’ public appeal which raised over £550,000 to keep Turner’s Blue Rigi watercolour in the UK. For more information contact the Press Office on 020 7225 4888 or visit www.artfund.org .

The Art Fund is a Registered Charity No. 209174

The MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund is a government fund, established at the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) in 1881 as part of its nationwide work. The annual grants budget, currently £900,000, is provided by the Museums, Libraries, Archives Council (MLA). The Fund supports the acquisition of objects relating to the arts, literature, and history by regional museums, record offices and specialist libraries in England and Wales. Each year it considers some 250 applications and awards grants to around100 organisations, enabling acquisitions of over £4million to go ahead.

Visit the website at www.vam.ac.uk/purchasegrantfund

The Headley Museums Archaeological Acquisition Fund has been established by the Headley Trust, one of the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts. Its trustees realise the great difficulties many regional and local museums find in raising the money to buy archaeological artefacts. They are also aware of the proliferation of finds as a consequence of the success of the Portable Antiquities Scheme. The Headley initiative is intended to help museums secure and display notable finds. The Headley Scheme runs alongside and in collaboration with the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund.

  • Further details about the Treasure Project:

  • For more information about Harborough Museum and the Southeast Leicestershire Treasure Project, please contact Helen Sharp, Project Officer, at Harborough Museum, on 01858 821087 or email helen.sharp@leics.gov.uk, or Frank Hargrave, Temporary Keeper of Harborough Museum, also on 01858 821087 or email frank.hargrave@leics.gov.uk