A COLLECTION of rural artefacts preserved in the North York Moors National Park over generations, and dating back hundreds of years, is to be displayed in a major new museum in North Yorkshire.

Estimated by experts to be worth in excess of £1m, the 10,000-plus items have been collected by two brothers, Edward and Richard Harrison, over half a century, throughout Ryedale.

The Ryedale Folk Museum, at Hutton le Hole, has been offered the collection, which Eric Knowles of television’s Antiques Roadshow described as “breathtaking and jaw-dropping stuff”.

The trustees of the museum, famed for its rebuilt ancient cottages and thatched buildings, are planning to build a special complex to house the collection in a scheme due to cost £2.3m, said Jos Holmes, Ryedale Council’s economy and community manager.

“The development will create a world-class attraction which captures the essence of Ryedale,” she said in a report to the policy and resources committee.

It is estimated that the attraction will double the museum’s annual visitor figures to 80,000.

The council is being urged to provide £250,000 towards the scheme, and additional funding is being sought from Yorkshire Forward, the Heritage Lottery Fund, and a strong fundraising campaign supported by Lady Morris – the former cabinet minister, Estelle Morris – who has taken a keen interest in the museum.

“The museum has strong relationships with several trusts and foundations which are potentially significant funders,” said Ms Holmes.

She added that an iconic new building was also being created as a learning space at the museum.

“This is a sustainable building using a cruck frame and thatch in a reed bed.”

She added: “Housing the Harrison Collection at the museum would make it available to the public for the first time, preserve it for future generations and keep it in Ryedale.

“It will ensure that local heritage is not lost to a national institution, while enhancing the folk museum and Ryedale nationally.”

The collection will be housed on a site currently occupied by the Barn Hotel, overlooking Hutton le Hole’s picturesque common.

“The collection is currently uncatalogued and inappropriately stored,” said Ms Holmes. “It is vulnerable to deterioration and damage and needs a large space for storage and display.”

Some 900 objects have been labelled as being of major national significance, many unique.

“The collection compares with, and can stand alongside, any major national museum collection,” added Ms Holmes.