Scolton Manor, Pembrokeshire’s Victorian manor house and gardens museum continues to grow from strength-to-strength as a popular visitor attraction with the opening of a new Heritage display and shop.
The museum recently underwent an accreditation assessment and received high praise from Welsh Government officials for its commitment to engage with its visitors and the Pembrokeshire community.
Sarah Paul, Welsh Government’s Museums Standards and Performance Advisor noted that a well-regarded external assessor’s view of the museum was extremely positive.
“This is a very impressive museum service, maintained by a very small team under immense financial pressures, which is funded by Pembrokeshire County Council who are also facing its own financial challenges.
“What makes this museum stand out is its commitment and delivery to engagement with its users and visitors. While visitor figures have not yet recovered to pre-pandemic levels, the provision/activities at the site, along with the relationships, partnerships, and collaborations in place indicate a positive direction of travel.”
This has coincided with the opening of the museum’s new ‘Gwalia Stores’ Tufton Shop. The building and new heritage display is now open every day as part of the site offer and enhances the heritage of the ‘railway village’ development. The plan will be to build on the heritage display in the Tufton Shop over the next few weeks.
The centre will serve two purposes; opening as a mini-museum heritage display, and the Tufton Shop will also be selling locally manufactured wooden furniture and garden plants in its new outdoor space.
Later in the season, the shop will be looking to develop the selection of items available with a plan to sell harvested produce from the Walled Garden. The shop will continue to be an important income stream for the museum as it continues to grow and engage with the Pembrokeshire community.
Museum’s Manager Mark Thomas indicated his pride in the opening of the new premises, he said: “After 25 years since I moved the shop from its village location with one other member of staff, it is wonderful to see it back open as both a mini museum and trading shop.”
The Museum has also received local support from Pembrokeshire Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services who praised the work of the museum’s dedicated colleagues. He said: “This is fantastic news and a credit to the work that Mark and his team does at Scolton Manor. I am very proud and I would like to s congratulate the team for this fantastic effort.”
