AN ANCIENT monument at the heart of a Lake District village is to house a new and contemporary showcase of local history to entice visitors to explore the area.

A £48,600 award from The Heritage Lottery Fund to Cartmel Village Society will help revamp the exhibition at the 14th century Gatehouse, in Cartmel, to reflect its varied and intriguing history.

The former fortified entrance to Cartmel Priory, now a scheduled ancient monument and owned by The National Trust, will feature a 'living history' arena and a timeline of the building.

There will also be a series of rotating displays in the Great Room to reflect its past uses, which vary from being a Victorian school room to a medieval banqueting hall.

Modern technology will have its place, with visitors being provided with an interactive digital device with which they can explore the Great Room in other eras.

Audio-visual equipment will offer sound-bites and snapshots of the area to inspire people to go and discover other nearby beauty spots and interesting features.

Susan Lanson, who was involved in the lottery application on behalf of Cartmel Village Society, said the award was "super news" and would be used to reflect the building, the valley and the village.

Christine Stringfellow, who helped with the application and designed the exhibition, hoped to see it ready for the new season.

Praising organisers of past seasonal exhibitions for their "sterling work" at The Gatehouse, Ms Stringfellow said the new exhibition had been planned in consultation with Janet Niepokojczycka, who was manager of Cartmel Heritage Centre and oversaw volunteers at the centre

"This new project will really turn it into a contemporary visitors centre," continued Ms Stringfellow.

"The potential for it is enormous and, by the time it is up and running, it will attract people from all walks of life.

There will be something to appeal to all ages and backgrounds."