People from across the world expected to visit Horsham for special museum display

The Medieval gallery display will bring to life key stories of how Horsham was formed and will feature an historically important artefact – the Shipley Reliquary.

After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William the Conqueror split Sussex into six vertical segments with Horsham under the control of William de Braose who soon built Bramber Castle to control his lands.

In the years following the Norman Conquest Horsham steadily grew, becoming a borough and market town by the time control passed to the de Mowbray family – later the Duke of Norfolk – in the late 1300s.

A key artefact of the Medieval gallery display being launched at Horsham Museum on Saturday (October 22) will be the Shipley Reliquary, on loan from Shipley Parochial Church Council.

Horsham Museum currently holds few artefacts from this period within its collection, so the reliquary – a container for holy relics – presents an opportunity to bring to life Horsham and the surrounding district during the de Braose’s era.

Dating from the 13th century, the reliquary is an example of Limoges enamel, produced in France between the 12th and 14th century. The precise date that the reliquary arrived in Shipley is unknown, but St Mary the Virgin Church was built by the Knights Templar in the 12th century. They would still have had control of the church when the reliquary was created, although the order was suppressed soon after in the early 1300s.

Horsham District Council cabinet member for culture Roger Noel said: “The Shipley Reliquary will be one of the most historically important exhibits in our museum and will attract visitors to Horsham from all over the world. I am very excited about the long-awaited unveiling of this fabulous artefact and would encourage everyone to come to the museum to view it themselves.”

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Visitors to the museum will be able to discover more about Limoges enamel as well as the development of Horsham and the district, from the importance of Steyning as a port to the development of castles across the district.

Horsham Museum & Art Gallery is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 4pm and entry is free.