The winner of the UK Tourism Awards is Lincoln Castle Revealed & Magna Carta Vault (nominated by BGTW member Gillian Thornton).
Founded by William the Conqueror and home to one of the four surviving copies of Magna Carta, the revitalised castle and its new vault have attracted 100,000 visitors in the first four months of 2015 – Magna Carta’s 800th anniversary year. The purpose built vault also contains other historic charters, while films in the interpretation centre explain the wider context. The ramparts have been repaired and the Medieval Wall Walk now runs one third of a mile around the castle. As well as offering great views of Lincoln cathedral, it is accessible to wheelchairs and buggies via a lift.
Highly Commended Projects:
– Strawberry Hill (nominated by BGTW member Paul Wade): the lovingly-restored neo-Gothic villa in southwest London, where owner Horace Walpole wrote The Castle of Otranto, the world’s first Gothic novel, in 1764.
– Hauser & Wirth Somerset (nominated by BGTW member Gillian Thomas), a multi-purpose arts centre and world-class gallery, offering visitors the chance to enjoy art, architecture and the unspoiled Somerset landscape.
Merit Awards:
- The Making of Harry Potter, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London (John Malathronas).
- Tower Bridge Glass Floor, Tower Bridge Exhibition, London (Liz Gill)
- National Civil War Centre, Newark Museum, Nottinghamshire (Alastair McKenzie).
- Wellcome Collection, Gallery Renovation, London (Kathy Arnold)
