Over 4,000 people have already secured their places to see the Staffordshire Hoard on Tour in the three weeks since tickets went on general release. The free timed entry tickets, as well as the specialised tour experiences have been snapped up by visitors from all over the world, but especially by local people. Particular interest has been shown in the evening Staffordshire Hoard Experience tours, giving visitors exclusive access to the exhibition in groups of thirty, with nearly half of these tickets already claimed.
The Lichfield Cathedral community is looking forward to welcoming visitors to this exhibition from Saturday July 30th until Sunday 21st August. The Staffordshire Hoard, the largest ever find of Anglo-Saxon gold, was discovered in a farmer’s field near Hammerwich in 2009, only 4 miles from the Cathedral. The exhibition will feature over forty iconic items including the folded cross, the biblical inscription and the seahorse, as well as some newly conserved pieces.
Tickets for both free timed entry slots and paid tours are now available through the Lichfield Garrick Box Office. Visitors will be invited to make donations to help to conserve, research and display the Hoard in the future as part of the emerging Mercian trail, on which the Cathedral will be a key venue.
Full details of the temporary touring exhibition can be found at the newly developed website www.staffordshirehoard.org.uk Further information is also available on the Lichfield Cathedral What’s On Guide offers where visitors can also find out about services, events and tours for April to October this year.
Canon Pete Wilcox, Chancellor of Lichfield Cathedral commented:
“We have been delighted with the overwhelming response to the arrival of the Staffordshire Hoard On Tour this summer and are thrilled that so many people want to experience the Hoard first hand at Lichfield Cathedral. I would urge visitors to make sure they have booked their place to see these exquisite pieces of Anglo-Saxon craftsmanship, as well as our own Cathedral treasures. The message is: book early to avoid disappointment! As we take our place alongside Shire Hall in Stafford and Tamworth Castle for this very special tour, it is becoming clearer by the day, how very important the Mercian Trail is becoming to the region”.
To guarantee a place, choose from one of the following three different tour experiences:
1.Timed Entry Tours (40 minutes) – free of charge
This tour includes general admission to the Staffordshire Hoard for up to 30 people at a time at 20 minute intervals from 10am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday (last entry at 4.20pm), 9am to 5.00pm on Saturdays (last entry at 4.20pm) and 12.20pm to 3.00pm on Sundays (last entry 2.20pm). Access will be to the hoard display for 20 minutes and to interactive exhibits for a further 20 minutes.
2.‘In Anglo Saxon Footsteps’ - Daytime Story Telling and Tour (45 minutes) – £5 per person
An experience especially suitable for visitors aged 5 and upwards. Walk in the shoes of the Anglo Saxons to discover the Anglo Saxon origins of Lichfield Cathedral and enjoy story telling this summer holiday. Tales for young and old.
Daily tours at 10.30am (except on Wednesdays and Sundays) and 2pm (every day) will be available for groups of up to 20. These tickets come with default timed entry to the hoard exhibition at 11.20am and 2.40pm respectively. On request timed entry can be varied.
3.Staffordshire Hoard Evening Experience Tours (90 minutes) - £15 per person
Outside ordinary opening hours, the Cathedral is offering groups exclusive access to the exhibition, for up to 30 people at a time. A guided tour of the Cathedral (including its own great Anglo Saxon artefacts, the St Chad Gospels and the Lichfield Angel) fills out the story of the Staffordshire Hoard. Please note that this tour will only be dedicated to one organisation if all 30 places are taken. There will be two tours every evening (7pm and 8.30pm) from Monday 1st August until Sunday 21st August.
Ticket bookings:
Tickets for all three experiences are available from the Lichfield Garrick as follows:
In person: The Box Office is located in the Lichfield Garrick foyer and is open Monday to Saturday 11am – 6pm. The address of the Box Office is Castle Dyke, Lichfield, WS13 6HR.
Please note that tickets can be collected from the Garrick Theatre or posted out (£1 for postage) up to two days before the timed entry date. Tickets may (and after two working days before the timed entry must) be collected from a desk in the north transept in Lichfield Cathedral.
By phone: Call the Lichfield Garrick Box Office on 01543 412121. Open Monday to Saturday 11am – 6pm and until 9.30pm on performance days.
Online: Bookings for In Anglo Saxon Footsteps Tours and Exclusive Evening Tours can be made online at www.lichfieldgarrick.com 24/7 using your debit or credit card. Simply select Book on the Staffordshire Hoard section and follow the on-screen instructions. Please note, online bookings carry a £1 transaction fee. Free ‘timed entry’ tickets cannot be booked online.
For updates on the plans for the temporary touring exhibition visit www.staffordshirehoard.org.uk or www.lichfield-cathedral.org/news to download the What’s On at Lichfield Cathedral April to October 2011.
For ticket information or queries please contact the Lichfield Garrick Box Office on 01543 412121.
