Our indoor exhibitions have won a national award!

See our article below as featured in local and museum news in November 2021:

Eskdale Mill & Heritage Trust has won a prestigious Engaging People Award from the Association for Heritage Interpretation for Eskdale Mill.

Taking top prize in the Indoors category, Eskdale Mill & Heritage Trust worked with Minerva Heritage Ltd to support the conservation, preservation and interpretation of the Lake District’s last working water-powered corn mill.

 Paul Pharaoh, chair of trustees at Eskdale Mill & Heritage Trust said “It’s a tremendous achievement for our great little watermill in Eskdale to have won this national award, against competition from shortlisted submissions by the British Museum, Castell Coch in Wales and Buxton Crescent Heritage Trust.

“Well done to our brilliant interpretation consultants, Minerva Heritage, and all their team.

“Thank you too to the funders who made the restoration project possible, the consultants and contractors who made it a reality, and our team of volunteers and manager Kate Hughes who keep the mill running.”

Bill Bevan from the AHI, commented “Congratulations to Eskdale Mill & Heritage Trust for a very well-deserved recognition. The award was given because Eskdale Mill’s team have produced an excellent example of the transformation of an industrial heritage site into a lovely visitor attraction. Visitors are presented with engaging and well-considered displays. The stories are thoroughly researched, and clearly and carefully selected to connect the mill to its surrounding agricultural community. To be invited to pass through the mill’s long history is a real delight.”

The Association for Heritage Interpretation is the membership group in Britain and Ireland for anyone interested in interpretation – the art of helping people explore and appreciate our heritage, nature, culture and science. It aims to promote excellence in the practice and provision of interpretation and to gain wider recognition of interpretation as a professional activity.

The biennial awards showcase best practice in heritage interpretation across the UK and Ireland. They are the only awards to recognise excellence in all types and sizes of heritage interpretation – whether in museums, historic buildings, visitor centres or any type of outdoor location. The category winners were announced at the online awards ceremony held during the AHI conference on Thursday 4 November. They all compete for the overall AHI Award for Excellence on the 18 November.

For more information about the AHI and the awards, visit ahi.org.uk or follow @AHI_Social.