THE OLD GAOL MUSEUM AT ELY
Lovely interior of the New Old Gaol Museum - photographs by Phil Durrant
Ely never seems to change. There is the Cathedral – august and majestic down the ages - what more does anyone want? How about a beautifully designed Museum – a place where cutting edge architecture meets some gritty stories of Fen Life? The Old Gaol has opened its doors as a newly enlivened centre of the famous city . You can’t miss it. The Old Gaol lives in Market Street – parallel with the Anthony- Trollope- style traditional north flank of the grand structure of the “Ship of the Fens’ the towering minster that has overseen centuries of history. But its story far from the religious heritage which towers over it. And it deserves a visit.
Elegant and practical. note the Fen tools hanging in the background and what a staircase?
How did all this come about. After all, the years of design spanned the devastation and disruption of Covid. Designers David Ludlow had completed their two year collaboration with Simon Leach Design in 2021. Their brief was to redesign the permanent galleries at Ely and relate them more closely to the core family audience the Museum wanted the reach. the forward looking plan involved a vision of the design guidelines for the project partners who stood ready to engage their artwork, photography layout and themes to the overall concept. After all they had 200 square metres over two floors to cover. Today’s stunning result of all that imaginative work - closely worked alongside the staff of the Museum is remarkable. It all looks larger wider spacier than it did.
There was a hands on activity for every space as the design takes a visitor from pre-history to the present day. I loved the attention to detail of modern life, the vegetables from today’s Fens heirs to water bound landscape of hundreds of years ago. There is dressing up, which children love and real fossils to handle a massive favourite with my own family.And what an environment.Illustrator Roland Chambers made a great artwork of the ground floor set in quality Marmolean a modern version of linoleum - an old material but perfect for illustration a very green material for flooring as its made from natural material made in Kirkcaldy Scotland. David Rooney and David Sparshott both artists made the spaces unique with drawings printed for the case displays. A brilliant coordination with the curators and original denizens of the museum. Unsurprisingly the result has attracted. slew of awards. from the Civic Trust 2023 through conservations prizes and a Kids in Museums Family Friendly Museum Awards 2022 - up against stiff completion there.
To me the astonishing fact is the entire transformation, expansion intense imaginative result cost only 2.2 million pounds, a figure all the participants from Max Fordham LLP, Momentum Engineering and People Friendly Design. and of course Simon Leach Designs and the Museum staff themselves should be hugely proud. They are actually, it shows in their delighted approach to visitors. Everyone knows what an achievement has taken place
Time line on the stylish stairs, the key link through the lovely museum
The Old Gaol is a relic of the brutal past. The Museum designers have cunningly incorporated the chill feel of this primitive place of captivity – but with its airy uplifting design, there is nothing too alarming about its cells and the lists of internees often banged up for very little. A pleading letter from a desperate debtor gives an idea of just how unfair the penal code of the time was - and the walls are scattered with graffiti – strangely enough in sometimes beautifully scripted handwriting.
The Museum takes visitors through time - children can - first of all - dress up in some typical garb of the labouring Fen people, or as Knighted of Old – and they can explore the history – and geography of this little-revealed , and less considered area. Lists of rioters ‘The Littleport Martyrs” give a bleak account of how repressive was the system that met protest for bread with transportation and hangings. The well -conceived exhibits are throw an unexpected light on history – who knew Anglo Saxon people were taller more independent than those who came after them, with women who had their own independence and rights, long before feudalism repressed them through conquest.
Children – and adults- will be intrigued and surprised in this wonderfully imagined space.The Old Gaol Museum deserves to be landmark for visitors from all over the region. We have little idea what life was like for those whose precarious existence often led to disaster – or the history of the massive economic success which turned investors in an unpromising Waterland into millionaires.
Regrettably it costs £2.50 for children and £5.50 for adults, but the outlay is more than worth a startling perspective on a way of life and history we all should know more about. Why then, not make it free to all without fees for entry? Could the coffers of the ancient Cathedral not cough up some financial subvention for this splendid project? Or fees from the now free to use car park not funnel their way to maintain such a brilliant new facility for children and adults – for Ely and beyond?
Whatever the finances , the new revived and restored Museum is a credit to all concerned.
