Lift off for £1m museum refurb
A CLAY pipe that was thought to have belonged to one of the workmen who helped build what is now Warwickshire’s museum over 200 years ago has been discovered during its £1million refurbishment.
The pipe has a very well preserved mulberry tree design on the bowl and is thought to have been made between 1660 and 1680, and as the Market Hall in Warwick was completed in 1670, it may have been dropped by one of the original workmen.
It was found during a dig in the section of the ground floor where a lift has been installed. The lift will ensure that for the first time all visitors will have access to both the ground and first floor exhibitions.
Refurbishment work on the museum began in September 2016 to remove sections of the first and second floors at the Grade II*-Listed Market Hall in Warwick.
The lift installation work has been funded entirely through public donations to the museum service over a number of years, and is in addition to the overall museum refurbishment which has been funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Cllr Jeff Clarke, Warwickshire County Council portfolio holder for environment, said: “Accessibility is a priority for the council. The addition of a lift will transform the building, providing access to all galleries for all visitors.”