A VERY rare lute, discovered in the Butcher Row House Museum, will be returning to Ledbury on Friday (April 1), after restoration by the Victoria and Albert Museum, when a local audience will be enjoying its sounds, during a special concert at the Burgage Hall.

The instrument, which is believed by experts to be unique, dates from the Regency Period and there is only one similar lute in the world, and that is in the Victoria and Albert Museum, in London, where the Ledbury lute was restored to a performance condition.

Chris Johnson, vice chairman of the Ledbury and District Society, which runs the museum, said the Victoria and Albert Museum lute was "not quite the same", and he described the Ledbury instrument as "halfway between an small harp and a true lute".

A visit to the museum, in Church Lane, by a member of the Lute Society last year brought the instrument to the attention of Chris Egerton, a stringed-instrument conservator and restorer who works at the V&A.

Mr Johnson said: "Mr Egerton and Taro Takeuchi, an internationally early stringed instrument performer and researcher, were amazed to see that the 'arch-cittern' in the museum appeared to be an example of the mysterious 'modern lute' mentioned in printed music and newspapers of the period."

But at that point, Mr Egerton had only seen photographs, as taken by the Lute Society visitor.

The Civic Society arranged an out of season visit to the museum for Mr Egerton and Mr Takeuchi, and measurements and more detailed photographs were taken.

Mr Egerton then asked permission "to undertake conservation and restoration of the instrument, with a view to its long-term preservation".

Mr Takeuchi also offered to give a performance in Ledbury, using the restored lute and the instrument's original repertoire.

A talk by Mr Egerton and musical demonstration by Mr Takeuchi of the now re-named "Ledbury Lute" will take place this Friday, April 1, from 7.30pm, in the Burgage Hall.

It will be free to Ledbury Civic Society members, but non-members will be able to pay on the door.