Champney Treasure House
Champney Treasure House is a cultural centre operated by the East Riding of Yorkshire Council in the town of Beverley in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. The centre acts as the main hub for heritage and information services, and contains the East Riding Archives and Local Studies, Beverley Library, Beverley Art Gallery and Champney Treasure House Museum. The building also contains a coffee lounge and gift shop. The top floor, known as 'The Tower', serves as an elevated sightseeing platform, showcasing 360 degree views of the Beverley Minster and the town of Beverley.
History
The original grade II listed building, designed by architect John Cash, was completed in stages with Beverley Library, on the ground floor, opening in 1906 and Beverley Art Gallery on the first floor in 1910. The idea and funding to build a public Library and Art Gallery came from Beverley-born businessman John Edward Champney.In 1928, an extension was completed to the East side of the building to house a new reference library on the ground floor, occupied by East Riding Registration & Celebratory Services from late 2024, and a lecture room on the first floor, now used as the Art Gallery exhibition space.
Initial plans were drawn up in 1997 for a contemporary extension to the building, beginning with consultations and preparatory work being carried out by the Beverley Town Council, Beverley Civic Society and national organisations such as English Heritage and the Royal Fine Arts Commission.
Work on The Treasure House started in October 2004, with local construction contractors Houlton engaging with archaeologists and the then Chairman of the East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Councillor Margaret Chapman. A time capsule was buried to mark the start of building work, with its contents reflecting life in the East Riding at that time. It was planned that the capsule would be resurrected in fifty years from its planting, intending to be brought out in 2054. Some of the items entered into it included contributions from local schools such as Longcroft School, with students producing coursework describing how they envisage the world to be in fifty years time.
The initial completion date was stated as being autumn 2006, and it had been hoped that the building would open on the centenary of the opening of the library. Eventually, the building would be completed in 2007. The project had been funded through a grant of £3.9 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The facility underwent a £3.3 million transformation scheme, starting in September 2023 lasting until late 2024, during which it was closed to the public. This included a new customer service centre and the relocation of the registration service to the building. The new facility opened to the public on 9 December 2024.