THE archive of one of Britain’s most famous playwrights is to be opened up to the public for the first time after being acquired by the University of York.

Thousands of works by Sir Alan Ayckbourn, including original stage sketches, manuscripts, plot diagrams and letters, will become part of the Samuel Storey Writing and Performance Collection at the campus’ Borthwick Institute.

The £240,000 purchase had backing from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), the Samuel Storey Charitable Trust, the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund and the Friends of the National Libraries.

As well as being available to the public, the Ayckbourn Archive will be a teaching opportunity for students in the University’s Department of Theatre, Film and Television.

Fiona Spiers, head of the HLF for Yorkshire and Humber, said: “This is incredibly exciting news. The Ayckbourn Archive is a fascinating collection and resource which will enable everybody to learn more about one of the greatest playwrights of our time.”

The archive maps out Sir Alan’s work as a playwright, theatre director and artistic director at Scarborough’s Stephen Joseph Theatre over the last 50 years and includes correspondence with the likes of Harold Pinter and Stephen Sondheim.

The university aims to reach a wider audience through online educational tools and resources based on the archive that will support A and AS level teaching.

Sir Alan said: “I realised that what I was learning from others and from experience was valuable and I wanted to chronicle it. I hope the archive is an extension of this. I think it will be a fertile ground for ideas and inspire people to write.”