Your Heritage
Volunteers researched the stories of Nostell Priory at war and created an ancestry station where visitors could search online archives to discover their own family story. Audiences learnt about the impact of the conflict on the area from exhibitions, talks and object handling sessions. Visitors then then left a message on a red poppy (for those who died) or a white butterfly (for those left behind) to create an inspiring history wall.
A series of special events focused on specific aspects of the conflict. On International Women’s Day visitors met actresses playing real First World War characters from the community around the property and took part in family activities such as knitting socks for the trenches, a replica VAD nursing station and a postcard writing competition. These activities and others won the prestigious National Trust ‘bringing places to life’ award.
Primary schools visited to meet ‘WW1 heroes’ from their village via photographs, letters and talks aimed at their age group before taking part in a ‘Fit for Battle’ trail based on recruitment challenges and trench warfare. Many children returned with families to take part in ‘wartime allotment’ and ‘1914 scout camp’ events and made their own tribute wall. Meanwhile older students were trained in research techniques to draw further stories from Nostell Priory’s archive. Responding to feedback from visitors, a local youth theatre group recorded the archived letters into an audio trail. The stories spread around the world, with a free app being downloaded from as far away as Korea. Many of the resources are available through a permanent exhibition and accessible archive.