National Lottery Heritage Grants £10,000 to £250,000
Born in Huntingdon in 1599, Oliver Cromwell attended school in the building that now houses the Cromwell Museum. He later became a major figure in Parliament during the Civil Wars and then Lord Protector, the first commoner to serve as the head of state in Britain.
This pocket watch was made in 1647 by London watchmaker William Clay, a neighbour of Cromwell’s. Cromwell is believed to have gifted the watch to his officer John Blackwell in 1650. It stayed in the family until 2019, when it was sold, restored and then offered to the museum.
Our support has helped the museum acquire the watch and safeguard it for future generations. Cromwell is a controversial figure and the museum presents the facts and various interpretations of his life, telling his story to allow visitors to make their own minds up about him. The watch is now on display at The Cromwell Museum, accompanied by an activity programme to bring in new visitors, including:
- creating a digital recreation of the watch for the website, and a larger 3D printed model for audiences to explore
- training volunteers to deliver tours and talks on the watch
- developing an education session that links to the STEM agenda for science and technology
Stuart Orme, Curator of the Cromwell Museum, says: “We’re delighted to have had the opportunity to add this beautiful item to our collection, which has been enabled through the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Art Fund and many individual donors, to whom we’re very grateful. The team at the Heritage Fund were very helpful and supportive throughout the application and would recommend talking to them at an early stage about your application."
Our Heritage 2033 strategy provides opportunities for supporting acquisitions as part of projects which consider our four investment principles. Discover our support for other projects acquiring collections of exceptional heritage.
