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The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) has awarded a grant of £49,900 to Lathom Park Trust to further investigate the archaeological potential of the site of the former Lathom House, near Ormskirk, in West Lancashire, which was destroyed in the Civil War sieges of 1644-45. The award will allow the Trust to carry on with its 'Historic Lathom' programme of uncovering history in Lathom.
Substantial masonry remains were found ten years ago during renovation works at the West Wing of the 18th century Lathom House, the only surviving part of the 'Palladian' style mansion, which is thought to have been built over the remains of previous fortified houses. The aim of this project is to try and find out and understand more about the long lost site of the late-medieval palace fortress and to shed some light on the importance of Lathom as a Lancastrian power base.
Originally thought to have been the early medieval stronghold of the de Lathom family, Lathom then became the seat of the Earls of Derby for over three centuries. Lady Margaret Beaufort, Duchess of Richmond, mother of King Henry VII and foundress of the Tudor dynasty, later married Thomas Stanley, who became first Earl of Derby. Lathom went on to become the 'Northern Court' of Tudor and Stuart England.
The project will start in late spring with some geophysical surveys, to be followed by the digging of some trial trenches. Led by professional archaeologists, the works will provide valuable training opportunities for volunteers and members of the public. There will be many interesting and varied tasks to be carried out over a period of two years.
Chairman of the Trust, David Dunn, said "We are delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has recognised the importance of our work and that we can carry on with the exciting investigations into the ever unfolding history of Lathom".
Explaining the importance of the award, Sara Hilton, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund, North West, said, "We are passionate about giving everyone the chance to explore their past and digging into the history of Lathom Park is a great example of what can be done. The site has witnessed a wealth of historic events and today's news brings an exciting chance for the local community to get involved in uncovering more".
For further information, please contact:
Steve Baldwin, Lathom Park Trust Limited, at stevebaldwin@hotmail.co.uk
Notes to Editors
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) enables communities to celebrate, look after and learn more about our diverse heritage. From our great museums and historic buildings to local parks and beauty spots or recording and celebrating traditions, customs and history, HLF grants open up our nation's heritage to everyone to enjoy. Since 1994 it has supported more than 26,000 projects, allocating over £4 billion across the UK.www.hlf.org.uk |
