The Priory in the Past event – Bringing History to Life
Sunday 21st June will see many youngsters taking their dads out for the day to see jugglers, stilt walkers, musicians and Crimean war re-enactors entertaining the crowds in the grounds of the Warwickshire County Record Office from 1pm – 4pm.
Gents on Penny Farthings, a wandering Monk, local characters from the past and the smell of a hearty Pig Roast will be available to all those who choose to spend Father’s Day at the Priory in the Past festival.
A celebration of all things past for the Priory, the festival will provide a free afternoon of fun and activity for all age groups.
The festival is the work of the Outside the Box project which is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund; based at the Warwickshire County Record Office. The project focuses on the archives contained in the Waller Collection.
The collection spans eight centuries of documents from the Wise and Waller families that lived in and around Warwickshire. The original Priory, where the County Record Office now stands, was once the home of Royal Gardener, Henry Wise.
Raising the profile of the archives by bringing them to life through events such as the festival, educational programmes and a travelling exhibition is a key aim for the project team.
Alaina MacGregor, Project Manager says: “The Outside the Box project has given us a unique chance to demonstrate the wealth of archival history that is available in Warwickshire today.
"This fantastic event will present local people with the opportunity to celebrate a part of Warwick’s history as well as provide an insight into what exciting and educational information is on offer at the County Record Office.
"In these difficult economic times, it has been a privilege to be able to put together a meaningful event where entrance is free for local people to enjoy.”