'Hidden stories' of oldest town house to be told

The Judges Lodgings house is 400 years old

A city's oldest remaning town house has received nearly £90,000 so it can tell the "hidden stories" of some of the working class people connected to it over the years.

The Judges' Lodgings Museum in Lancaster, which is part of Lancashire County Museum Service, has received a £88,969 from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The money will fund a restoration programme, community engagement, and creative interpretation as the historic house celebrates its 400th anniversary and 50 years as a museum.

Built in 1625, the Judges' Lodgings is close to the castle and was originally built for Thomas Covell the Keeper of the Castle.

Museum manager Lynda Jackson said: "This amazing building has been here for 400 years and it has so many stories to tell about the people who once lived and worked here – from the visiting circuit judges to their many servants.

"It's such a familiar sight in Lancaster, so close to the castle, and we want to make sure its history is shared and celebrated."

The grant will help restore the coal and wash sheds and pay towards a small archaeological dig in the south courtyard.

It will also support an oral history project which will record people who lived or worked at the Judges' Lodgings before it became a museum in 1975.