Cresswell Pele Tower is going to be invaded - by artists

Cresswell Pele Tower, built in the 1300s, is one of only two of 175 that were initially built which are currently open to the public thanks to a restoration project led by Cresswell Parish Council and Greater Morpeth Development Trust.

Artists including painters, sculptors, glass-blowers and jewellers will sell their wares at the former stronghold after their former home, The Old Bath House in Broomhill, hosted its final Open Studios in April this year.

The move has been engineered by Robin Duckett, whose partner Alison Tutcher – a milliner – is an exhibitor.

Robin, from Morpeth, said: “I didn’t want to sit by and see these wonderful, independent artists end up with nowhere to go.

“I was desperate to find them a new venue to come together and everything just fell into place. Cresswell Pele Tower has not been long open after a huge refurbishment and when I came across it, I just knew it was where we needed to be.

“The tower team have been so positive and we are already attracting the attention of prominent artists across the whole borders region as well as Northumberland, which will be a new and much more harmonious invasion than the Pele Tower’s builders could possibly have anticipated.”

The first Arts and Crafts Fair will be on November 4 and 5 (10am to 4pm), with more scheduled throughout the year.

For more information, go to www.zeffiro.org/pele-tower-arts