ARCHIVISTS will be re-discovering hidden histories of Warwick Castle in a new four-year project.
Staff from Warwickshire County Record Office will be updating catalogues for the Warwick Castle collection.
Most are over a century old and the project aims to make them more accessible to a modern audience.
The collection – formerly housed in the castle’s Guy’s Tower – was acquired by the record office in 1978 following a fund-raising campaign. It was carried down a hazardous winding staircase and ferried to the record office, where it was packaged into nearly 2,000 boxes.
Warwickshire County Council culture spokeswoman Heather Timms said: “I’m delighted the record office is undertaking this important and ambitious project to improve our understanding of the lives of a huge number of historic residents of Warwickshire, many of whom have previously been overlooked.
“We are very keen to work more closely with the castle and its archives in the future. By discovering and re-discovering many hidden histories within the collection we can help to shed light on the importance of the castle to the town and its people throughout the generations.”
For the first time, the collection will be comprehensively catalogued, not only documenting the wealthy and influential incumbents of the castle from the medieval period to the 20th century, but also allowing some of the never-before-revealed stories about those who worked at the castle.
Archivists Laura Orriss and Amanda Williams will lead the project and once it is up and running there will be the chance for volunteers to support.
Visit heritage.warwickshire.gov.uk/county-record-office for more information.
