New £10,000 project launched by Knaresborough Museum Association to showcase 'lost' history
The lost story of Knaresborough’s ancient Royal hunting forest is to be brought to life in a new £10,000 project.
Knaresborough Museum Association (KMA) is delighted to announce that they have been awarded a £10,000 grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The grant will fund an exciting project: Knaresborough Forest, Community and Nature led by this incredible volunteer-run Knaresborough charity established in 2023.
The project aims to tell the story of the Royal hunting forest of Knaresborough, which first appears in records circa 1167, as well as highlighting why local woodland is still facing many threats.
Kathy Allday, KMA chair said “This is a truly exciting project and we are so grateful to the National Lottery for funding it.
"We will be showcasing the amazing history of Knaresborough Forest, from a monarch’s and forest tenant’s perspective at a time when a person could be killed, blinded or castrated for killing a deer.
"We also have been working with a variety of local groups to highlight why the wildlife and habitat of Nidd Gorge Woods and other local woods are an important part of our local natural heritage.
"The audio visuals are going to be amazing.”
The new project has involved collaboration with community artist Peter Baldry who has been working with local residents including children and adults with learning disabilities to produce a 3D sculpture of a forest scene which will be on display at Knaresborough Heritage Centre from March this year.
KMA volunteers have been undertaking research for months on the history of Knaresborough Forest and looking at the development and demise of trees, woods and nature over the millenia.
In addition, exciting plans are afoot for a large scale audio visual presentation of the sights and sounds of Knaresborough.
Watch out for details of the official opening of this ground breaking exhibition at the end of February.
In the meantime there are just six weeks left to see KMA’s current exhibition, Knaresborough’s War: The People’s Story, which has proven very popular, even with a recent family visiting it all the way from the Amazon.
More information: https://knaresboroughtownmuseumaorg.uk/