Flesh on the bones (360G-Wellcome-107720_Z_15_Z)

Norton Priory is the most excavated monastic site in Europe. As well as the excavated ruins there is a grade I listed 12th century undercroft, a giant 14th century statue of St Christopher and an 18th century Walled Garden. However, deteriorating environmental conditions in the museum has led to the removal of much of this nationally significant collection from display. In July 2014 the Museum was awarded a £3.7m grant from the HLF to redevelop the museum and restore the undercroft. As part of the new exhibition, the museum will display human remains, drawing upon its stored collection representing some 130 individuals. Recent and ongoing research has resulted in some surprising findings including the discovery by osteoarchaeologist, Shirley Curtis-Summers of a trauma indicating the likely murder of a 13th century knight. This story and others like it will be enlivened by the biographical research by early career PhD research graduates to help create multidisciplinary displays. Diseases will be explored through the use of the skeletal material in both displays and education sessions. Uniquely, the surprisingly high incidence and severity of Paget's disease will be sensitively explored with the assistance and life-experience of present day sufferers. When this project is completed, the new exhibition will inspire visitors with the kind of excitement that scientific discovery can stimulate. It will be an interactive experience that will capture the imagination of a range of audiences drawing upon a programme of ongoing research. The exhibition will be complimented by facilitated school sessions on osteoarchaeology.