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The Middleton Mystery

As part of the ‘Picture House’ contemporary arts exhibition at Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens, Northumberland, students from Ashington Community High School designed a computer game.

The Middleton Mystery - An Adventure at Belsay Hall

It’s been a good day so far. School trips are always more fun than being stuck in class, and this has been the best ever. You have been visiting Belsay Hall, Castle and Gardens home of the Middleton family since 1226. You have seen the country house inspired by ancient Greek temples, explored the spooky garden with its hidden surprises and you’ve even discovered a real castle.

The minibus is ready to leave, but you’re not on it...

Imagine you meet the spirit of Charles Monck, who designed and built Belsay Hall after he returned from a two-year honeymoon to Greece. Charles asks you to find famous objects from Greek mythology hidden within the hall, castle and gardens.
He has been waiting for many years for somebody to help him – someone like you...

The students formed their own production company ‘Mean Machine’ to create ‘The Middleton Mystery – An Adventure at Belsay Hall’. They used the inspiration of the medieval castle, 19th-century hall and quarry garden to create a fictional quest-based adventure game. Players meet characters based on real people who lived and worked at Belsay and find imaginary treasures brought back from Charles Monck’s Grand Tour. Through workshops at school and at Belsay Hall, the students explored the history of the property, created a game design and filmed themselves as historical characters. The game can be played by visitors to Belsay who are invited to leave feedback.

Led by English Heritage Education in the North of England, the project involved a range of partners including ISIS Arts, and games artist, Steve Manthorp. The students' game design and specifications were built by Lateral Visions, a software development company based in Liverpool specialising in applying computer games technology to education and business applications.

Making the Game

The project aimed to inspire young people about their local heritage and how it can be interpreted using modern media techniques. It has engaged young people at risk of exclusion from mainstream education at Belsay Hall by increasing their knowledge and understanding of the site and its history and by developing their creative, social and technological skills.

A ‘Your Heritage’ grant of £49,820 from the Heritage Lottery Fund enabled this project to take place.