Director for Heritage: Ian Foskett
“All of GMDT’s Interest Groups help to deliver regeneration projects and support other groups operating within the Morpeth area. Our ethos is to work in partnership for the benefit of the community, so if you are interested in working with us on a heritage project – please get in touch.”
GMDT supports the National Heritage Open Days (HODs) festival. This takes place every September and we are actively involved in providing administration support, delivery with new posters etc and support on the day.
An intensive programme takes place during which many of Morpeth’s churches, heritage buildings, and organisations stage around special free events or venue openings. These range from poetry walks through exhibitions and talks; to guided visits around local churches, Collingwood House, and the treasures of Morpeth Town Hall!
GMDT ‘s co-ordination of HODs events across Morpeth and its surrounding area, sees our community taking an active part in animating local spaces to highlight the importance of our heritage and its part in local life. Some typical events are described below:
> Churches put on displays and/or provide refreshments
> drop-in heritage afternoons take place
> poets provide costumed guided walks
> Morpeth Town Council opens up the civic rooms housing Morpeth Town Hall’s treasures
> Clock Tower Bellringers show visitors inside the Tower and try their hand at handling the bells
> The Collingwood Society presents one of its annual lectures
Our local community is actively encouraged to join in, and the whole project is run locally by volunteers. The 2026 HODs will be Project managed by GMDT’s volunteer Carol Elliott. While there is no funding support provided by the national HODs team, online marketing, display materials and advice are provided by its partners, the National Trust and Postcode Lottery.
GMDT also works closely with Morpeth Heritage Network, chaired by Alison Byard, which works together to identify, develop and deliver heritage projects and activity; and to promote local heritage in Morpeth and its surrounding areas. This groups role is important in facilitating the town-wide, it is a quarterly forum of relevant organisations which monitor heritage issues.
All our projects aim to improve the Morpeth area for the community and visitors to the town, and to increase visitor numbers by promoting history and heritage to facilitate and enhance the area’s tourism offer.
GMDT actively supports Morpeth Northumbrian Gathering (April) which is a mainstay of the town’s events calendar.
For the last 14 years also helped local author Bridget Gubbins to publish a Morpeth Heritage Book Series.
GMDT also supports Morpeth Antiquarian Society
Historically: GMDT has identified and delivered projects that relate to protecting and promoting local heritage and history. This includes:
- the restoration of Morpeth’s Town Hall.
- 2013 restoration of Emily Wilding Davison’s grave.
- restoration of High Stanners sewer gas lamp.
- Castle Woods and Water project, providing interpretation panels / signage located at various heritage sites throughout Morpeth.
- Fund raising for the Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood bust that is Morpeth Town Hall.
- Creating a Heritage Walking Trail leaflet.
Please visit our GMDT Volunteers page for further information.
Index to Sub Groups