Exeter project wins lottery funding

Exeter Historic Buildings Trust (EHBT) has received a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for an exciting project, ‘Monks in the Refectory’.

Led by EHBT, the project has been given £7,500 towards creating a set of five new interpretation panels, which will help visitors to 21 The Mint (the former refectory wing of 11th century St Nicholas Priory) to understand daily life in the Priory.

EHBT’s mission statement is to preserve for the benefit of the people of Exeter, buildings in and around Exeter of particular historic or architectural merit.

The Trust identified a gap in the historical interpretation at 21 The Mint, of the former 11th century St. Nicholas Priory.

The new project named ‘Monks in the Refectory’ aims to develop a new visual interpretation which will illustrate the daily life of the monks, focussing particularly on the refectory. The outcome will be five large portable interlocking interpretive panels which will be used on Open Days, for group visits including schools and other interested bodies. They will also be available for Red Coat guided tours, and for outside loans.

The Trust sees this as a community effort which will involve local illustrators, crafts people and educators. Working with volunteers, professional members of the team will use this project as a practical learning exercise. There has already been a 'Gold Illumination on Manuscripts' workshop, which proved very successful.

Commenting on the award Lorraine Arrell, a Trustee of EHBT, said “It’s great that we have been awarded this grant: we love working at 21 The Mint and look forward to sharing knowledge of the Priory’s past using these new interpretive panels. Although not yet completed, these panels are already visually stunning as you enter the meeting room of 21 The Mint, with magnificent gold-illuminated script and borders. These will surround the wonderfully intricate central drawings that are still being produced. The first one of these will be on display.”

Nerys Watts, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund, South West said: “Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, we’re pleased to support this project which will see the local community and visitors to the Priory gain an invaluable insight into 15th century life in one of Exeter’s much loved landmarks.”

Work in progress on these panels will be on display at 21 The Mint during Heritage Open Days, September 10th-13th 2015, 11am-4pm.