Shropshire Star

Calls for Charles Darwin's Shrewsbury home to become a museum

An architect is calling for Charles Darwin's former home to be turned into a museum.

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The Mount, Charles Darwin's former home

Last week it was revealed that the Valuation Office Agency, which is currently based at the property on The Mount, Shrewsbury, is to move out of the building.

The Valuation Office Agency is only a tenant of the building, which is actually owned by Mapeley.

However, a Shrewsbury architect, Robert Oak, says the move could provide an opportunity for the building to become a museum celebrating Darwin's life in the town, devoted to ‘Darwin’s Childhood and his subsequent Voyage on the Beagle’.

A plaque outside the home

Mr Oak said such a museum could become a huge draw for tourists to visit the town.

He said: "Considering he was born in Shrewsbury and lived here until he embarked on the Beagle voyage it seems such a marvellous opportunity to consider making that into a Darwin museum celebrating his childhood

"I am quite sure it would attract many many visitors, especially from abroad.

"It could be a major attraction for Shrewsbury and it is part of our national heritage, it is such an important building."

Mr Oak said that he has been impressed on visits to two other schemes that have each obtained Heritage Lottery Funding, including another of Darwin's homes at Down House in Kent, as well as Cardigan Castle.

A plaque outside the home

He said: "In the last year I have visited Down House, Darwin's family house near Orpington and also Cardigan Castle, Ceredigion. These two inspirational projects have led me to question why Darwin's birthplace in Shrewsbury has not been given more national prominence and opened to the public.

"Down House was acquired in 1996 by English Heritage with a grant from the Welcome Trust. It was restored with funds raised by the Natural History Museum and from smaller trusts plus a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. It reopened to the public in 1998. In 2009, the Darwin Bicentenary Project created a new exhibition on the first floor of the house, telling the story of Darwin's life and work.

"The master bedroom was restored, and opened to the public for the first time as recently as June 2016."

Mr Oak added: "This is obviously a vital turning point in the future of 2 The Mount and could provide a very significant boost to the local economy of Shrewsbury, as well as a major contribution to preserving the heritage of the UK."

The owners of the building have not made any comment on its future but Mr Oak said the house could still be a museum even if they did not want to sell the site.

He said: "If they did not want to sell it they might consider leasing it and allowing it to be converted into a museum if there could be lottery money for it."