Historic Beckford’s Tower “more accessible than ever before” after £3.9 million refurbishment

Beckford’s Tower and Museum may be a historic Tower, but its approach to accessibility is now as modern as its Grade I listed infrastructure permits, thanks to work completed as part of a £3.9million refurbishment in 2024, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and other public and private funders.

Beckford’s Tower and Museum prioritised accessibility during the “Our Tower” project, re-planning pathways, installing an accessible toilet, adding a new app and digital binoculars (created by Zubr Curio) to provide visual access to all areas, opening up the previously inaccessible Tower Vault with a step-free entryway and various visual aids (created by the Centre for Print Research at the University of West of England) within, and introducing sensory backpacks for neuro-diverse visitors. There is also an opportunity to borrow a Go-Pro camera and iPad to experience the views from the top of the Tower virtually.

Image: Beckford's Tower

View Beckford Tower’s Accessibility and EDI statement here.

Patrizia Ribul, Director of Museums at Bath Preservation Trust and the lead for the “Our Tower” project says: “One of the core aims of the “Our Tower” project was to make the space more welcoming and more accessible to as many people as possible. Thanks to the changes we have made with the support of our partners and suppliers, Beckford’s Tower is more accessible than ever before. While the project team were limited by protections on the listed building, they worked hard to open up access to as much of the Tower as possible, by physical and digital means. For example, it wasn’t possible to install a lift to the top of the Tower, so the team worked around the problem by opening up other physical spaces such as the landscape and the Tower Vault, and by introducing digital experiences. Visitors with visual and/or mobility problems can now experience the museum to the fullest possible, so we hope that they will feel encouraged to visit.

“We would like to thank The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players, Historic England and all the other generous individuals and group funders who have helped us in supporting this momentous project. We would also like to thank our wonderful members for their constant and vital support of the Bath Preservation Trust”.

Other key highlights of the project include:

• Excavation of a hidden Grotto in the landscape, now open to visitors for the first time ever
• Solar panels and air source heat pumps installed to convert a Grade I listed building to renewable energy sources.
• Reimagined Museum spaces and new digital enhancements exploring the complexity and creativity of William Beckford, revealing the brutality behind the beauty of his collection, buildings and landscapes.
• Conservation works to remove the building from the Heritage At Risk register and secure its sustainable future.
• Restoration of lost historic design elements showcasing the work of highly skilled heritage craftspeople
• Reconnecting of the Tower to its surrounding landscape through accessible footpaths and new interpretation

New displays showcase pieces from Beckford’s varied collections, including: furniture, such as an oak coffer cabinet and stand commissioned by Beckford for the Tower; design objects, including over 30 silver teaspoons bearing the Beckford family crest and making a material link between the source of Beckford's wealth - sugar plantations - and his prolific collecting habits; and fine art, such as a Willes Maddox painting commissioned by Beckford's daughter after his death, depicting a combination of his rare historic pieces and new designs made by skilled craftspeople.

Fundamental to the project has been bringing the story of William Beckford’s complex and controversial life to a wider contemporary audience. Beckford’s wealth came from his ownership of sugar plantations in Jamaica and the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved people. This wealth gave Beckford immense privilege and power, which he used to collect and commission precious art and objects, and to create influential buildings and landscapes. These intertwined themes of wealth and power, exploitation and abuse are addressed in the Tower’s new exhibition spaces, developed through extensive consultation with a diverse cross-section of the local community so that new voices are part of the Tower’s next chapter.

Beckford’s Tower and Museum reopened in June 2024. Tickets are available to purchase from the website: https://beckfordstower.org.uk/.

The Museum is open weekends and bank holiday Mondays, with seasonal opening times. Tickets cost £10 and include free return visits for 12 months. Concessions are available for Bath Discovery Card holders and others, and children’s entry is free of charge.

For more information about Beckford’s Tower, visit www.beckfordstower.org / Bluesky @beckfordstower.bsky.social/ Facebook @beckfordstower / Instagram @beckfordstower.