Today, Worcester City Council is announcing a £109,350 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the city’s historic Guildhall. The funding will support a year-long project that will raise the profile of Worcester Guildhall with members of the public, remind people of its history and heritage, and develop an appetite for continued public access.
2027 will be the 800th anniversary of King Henry III’s Charter establishing a Guildhall in Worcester. Today, the Guildhall is the only building of its type at the heart of the ceremonial county of Worcestershire.
King Henry’s Charter, granted in 1227, conferred privileges including the creation of a merchant guild, the members of which built the original timber-framed Guildhall on Worcester’s High Street. The Guildhall was rebuilt in red brick between 1721 and 1723, with stone dressings and carvings, believed to be designed by Worcester mason, Thomas White, in Queen Anne style. Queen Anne, Charles I and Charles II are portrayed in stone on the frontage.
The Guildhall has played many parts in the history of Worcester, once acting as the seat of justice for the city and housing a prison, and today playing host to City Council offices while also welcoming visitors interested in exploring its beautiful architecture and heritage. The Guildhall’s remarkable Assembly Room was described by King George III as “a handsome gallery” when he visited in 1788.
The funding, made possible thanks to National Lottery players, will support Guildhall 800, a project that will engage the public in celebrating the building, capture what it means to Worcester residents and explore its history through a community archaeology excavation.
Guildhall 800 will also look towards Worcester’s future by looking at how public access to this key heritage asset can be retained and improved.
Councillor Adrian Gregson, Worcester City Council’s Heritage Champion, said: “The Guildhall has been at the centre of Worcester’s social and cultural life for 800 years, so this is the perfect opportunity to celebrate its importance to our city.
“I would like to thank The National Lottery Heritage Fund for helping us to open the doors of the Guildhall to more people than ever before, allowing us to engage our community in exploring the building’s history and look towards the next 800 years.”
More details about the Guildhall 800 programme will be announced soon.
About The National Lottery Heritage Fund
Our vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. That’s why as the largest funder for the UK’s heritage we are dedicated to supporting projects that connect people and communities to heritage, as set out in our strategic plan, Heritage 2033. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past.
By 2033 we aim to invest £3.6 billion raised for good causes by National Lottery players to make a decisive difference for people, places and communities.
