A dedicated circus arts centre in the Staffordshire hometown of the man regarded as the ‘Father of the Modern Circus’ is set to open in March.
Already home to Britain’s first permanent circus monument, unveiled for the 250th anniversary of the circus in 2018, the Staffordshire market town of Newcastle-under-Lyme now also features a new visitor centre celebrating one of its most famous sons.
Born in the town in 1742, Philip Astley was the son of a cabinetmaker who grew up to become a master equestrian, military hero and showman, who created the 42-foot diameter circus ring and was even responsible for the iconic ringmaster uniform.
Without him, the modern version of a circus would never have happened.
Now an empty retail unit in his hometown has been transformed into The Philip Astley Centre, which aims to not only offer visitors a chance to learn more about his story and the worldwide legacy of the circus, but also pick up a few new skills too.
As a training and teaching facility, the new centre – at 23-25 Merrial Street – aims to also host workshops in circus skills and performance and opens to the public on Saturday 9 March.
If the venture proves successful, the centre may move to a larger purpose-built permanent centre as part of a wider £20m regeneration redevelopment in the town centre, which could launch in 2025.
Building on the success of previous celebrations in the town for its circus pioneer, including the monument featuring 15ft metal silhouettes of a ringmaster and two horses, the centre will host exhibitions, performances and film showings.
The remarkable Philip Astley not only created the circus ring and brought clowns, jugglers and tightrope walkers together in one place for the first time, but is also responsible for the modern ringmaster uniform, thanks to the former cavalryman welcoming crowds to his Astley Amphitheatre in his red military tunic.
It is a story that has spread across the world, with a memorial to Astley unveiled by Prince Albert II and Princess Stéphanie of Monaco at the glittering 2018 Monte Carlo International Circus Festival.
Among those to see the unveiling was Staffordshire’s Andrew Van Buren, an international illusionist and showman who has championed Astley and Newcastle-under-Lyme, and who is also one of the men behind the new circus centre.
For more about the Astley and his Staffordshire connections, visit www.philipastley.org.uk
Tourist information about visiting, and staying in, Staffordshire is available at www.enjoystaffordshire.com
