New Ancient Egypt and Yorkshire exhibition at the Champney Treasure House

The recently renovated Champney Treasure House now features the brand-new museum exhibition Resurrecting Ancient Egypt: A Monumental Yorkshire Journey. This exhibition has been designed and curated by Egyptologist Professor Joann Fletcher and is touring from Barnsley Museums. 

The exhibition focusses on a series of stunning black and white photographs of Yorkshire architecture with Egyptian influences as chosen by Joann. The photographs by Huddersfield-based duo Kyte Photography take the viewer on a journey through the four corners of Yorkshire: there are locations which may be familiar including the follies in the grounds of Castle Howard and the columns and carvings of Temple Mill, a former flax mill in Leeds.

Photographs of lesser-known buildings can also be found throughout the exhibition, many of which are quirky and intriguing, such as a reservoir valve house in the form of an Egyptian mausoleum above Hebden Bridge. Monuments to mining disasters and pandemics, including the 1849 Hull cholera epidemic in which 1860 people died, are some of the most poignant structures.

To complement the exhibition there are displays of Georgian ceramics, Art Deco jewellery, Egyptian-themed advertisements, and decorative arts kindly on loan from the Egyptomania Museum. These everyday objects demonstrate the public’s fascination with Egypt, inspired by discoveries of wonders such as the tomb of Tutankhamun, and how this was used to market goods as diverse as face powder, whisky, builders’ plaster and even motorbikes.

Champney Treasure House takes its name from John Edward Champney who gave financial support to the first library, museum and art gallery which opened on Champney Road in 1906. Champney was an avid collector of fine books, many of which were on the shelves of the first library. Books he collected on Egypt, including guides to antiquities and travel, are also on display.

Resurrecting Ancient Egypt runs until Saturday, 10 May so there is plenty of time to enjoy this intriguing exhibition.

Exhibition talks:

To complement the exhibition, Professor Joann Fletcher will be giving talks in March and April.

Ancient Egypt in Yorkshire takes place on Saturday, 22 March.

Discover the links between the UK’s largest county and Egypt, from the numerous Egyptian artefacts in our region's museums to the work of Yorkshire-born Egyptologists and the fact that Yorkshire has more pyramids than any other part of the UK. Yorkshire is also home to the oldest obelisk in Britain and the only full-sized replica Egyptian temple in the country.

The Yorkshire Path to Tutankhamun takes place on Saturday, 26 April.

With the 1922 discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun by Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter widely considered to be the greatest archaeological discovery of all time, the impact of 'Tutmania' on the wider world affected everything from architecture to fashion. Rather less well-known are the crucial links between the discovery and Yorkshire, which are also covered in this talk.

Booking information:

Talks are £8 each. To book visit www.eastridingmuseums.co.uk/whats-on/ or call 01482 392699 Monday to Wednesday 9am to 4.30pm.

Professor Joann Fletcher of the University of York and Patron of Barnsley Museums and Heritage Trust said: "It's such an honour that our 'Resurrecting Ancient Egypt' exhibition is the first to feature in Beverley's beautiful new venue, which really does justice to the stunning images by Kyte Photography and the beautiful selection of objects from the Egyptomania Museum's private collection, displayed to the public here in Beverley for the very first time.

‘’It's also been a pleasure to work with East Riding Museum staff while researching some hidden gems, to really bring home the many connections not only between ancient Egypt and Yorkshire, but astonishing connections with Beverley stretching back almost 2,000 years!"  

Councillor Nick Coultish, East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s cabinet member for culture, leisure and tourism, said: ‘’This brand-new Ancient Egypt and Yorkshire exhibition brings new life the museum at Champney Treasure House.

‘’The collaborative exhibition features a stunning collection of photography and artefacts to be enjoyed by the public, curated beautifully by our team at the Champney Treasure House. The inspiring exhibition received a warm welcome during the opening and we look forward to hearing more positive feedback from future visitors.’’

To explore the new Champney Treasure House website and find out opening times, see: https://www.eastridingculture.co.uk/treasurehouse  

Picture captions:

The collection features Egypt-inspired artefacts and a series of photographs