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Wilts Museum

Talks at the museum in Devizes..

NEW LECTURE: Who made Avebury? Exploring the 1930s-1940s diaries of William Young

In this talk, Dr Fran Allfrey (University of York) will be joined by Prue Saunders and Bev Stapleton, research volunteers for the Avebury Papers, to discuss how the project is revealing the stories of the people who made Avebury what it is today. More information and Book Online

NEW: Exploring photography’s history up to 1939

Dr Michael Pritchard will look at how photography evolved from its announcement in France and England in 1839 up to the outbreak of war in 1939. He’ll show how the cameras and equipment that photographers – both amateur and professional – used evolved, and the types of photographs produced during the period. There will be examples of work from some of the great photographers of the period including William Henry Fox Talbot of Lacock Abbey, Roger Fenton, Julia Margaret Camera, and the talk will show how the dominant styles of pictorialism and then modernism developed, without forgetting how the Kodak and snapshotter introduced a new informality to amateur photography.

The talk will be illustrated with plenty of pictures and there will be an opportunity to ask questions. The audience is encouraged to bring along their own old cameras and photographs for comment. Booking essential.

Outings…

Sunday 30 June Drawn to Oare: Eric Ravilious landscapes in the Vale of Pewsey

A walk to locations associated with Eric Ravilious and some of his little-known watercolours of the Pewsey Vale – and visit Oare House gardens!

Hidden Wiltshire Walks – 2024

Glyn Coy is again leading a programme of evening or afternoon walks in the Wiltshire countryside. 

The May and June walks are:
THIS WEEK Lacock and the Wilts and Berks Canal – Sunday 19 May, 12.00 noon start
Fonthill Estate – Monday 27 May – 12 noon start
Ranscombe Bottom and Morgan’s Hill – Saturday 15 June, 2 pm start
Milk Hill and Wansdyke – Thursday 27 June, 7 pm start

Saturday 25 May Stonehenge Landscape Walks – 2024

An afternoon walk, from Durrington Walls to Stonehenge, led by Museum Director, David Dawson.  The walk does not include a visit to the monument itself.

More walks on the website.

Lost Pubs, and Tours of Devizes

Walks organised and led by local historian John Girvan.

Tours of Historic Devizes: Sundays at 2.30 pm
June: 2 and 23
July: 7 and 28
August: 18

Lost Pubs of Devizes: Fridays at 7.30 pm
14 June
26 July
16 August

More information here

Avebury Lecture available online

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Avebury, Cotswold Archaeology, Joshua Pollard, Mick Aston, online lecture

Rex Whistler Press Release

The Salisbury Museum Gets Ready to host ‘Rex Whistler: The Artist and His Patrons’ Exhibition

• Marking the 80th anniversary of Rex Whistler’s death in 1944, the exhibition runs May 27^th to September 29^th. 
• Dr Nikki Frater’s book ‘Rex Whistler: The Artist and His Patrons’ will accompany the exhibition

On 15^th May 2024 – In a celebration of creativity and history, The Salisbury Museum announced the eagerly awaited exhibition, Rex Whistler: The Artist and His Patrons set to captivate art enthusiasts and history buffs alike.

The exhibition will run from May 27^th to September 29^th and promises to be a voyage through time, shedding light on the relationships between an artist and his patrons during the vibrant interwar period. Central to the exhibition is Whistler’s ‘lost’ masterpiece, the incredible ‘Ulysses’ Farewell to Penelope’, gifted from Whistler to Conservative MP Sir Malcolm Bullock (1889 – 1966), giving visitors the chance to once again marvel at this astonishing picture which was for decades referred to as ‘whereabouts unknown’. Also displayed is the extraordinary original design for ‘The Triumph of Neptune’ carpet commissioned by poet and art collector Edward James in 1935.  

Rex Whistler (1905-1944) was one of the most imaginative and prolific artists operating during the interwar period in England, with a diverse portfolio of work spanning portraiture, murals, book illustrations and set design. Through thirteen captivating case studies across nearly 100 pieces, visitors will discover the key relationships pivotal to Whistler’s career, including art collector and poet Edward James, Cecil Beaton, Duff and Diana Cooper, avid diarist and socialite Sir Henry ‘Chips’ Channon, Lord and Lady Louis Mountbatten, author and poet Lady Dorothy Wellesley, and Sir Philip Sassoon MP.

Salisbury was a highly influential place for Whistler, ultimately serving to shape his success as an artist. Exhibition curator Dr Nikki Frater comments, “Rex Whistler’s story is intricately woven into the fabric of Salisbury’s rich tapestry, making The Salisbury Museum the perfect stage for this extraordinary showcase.”

Museum Director Adrian Green comments: ‘The exhibition is based on the Rex Whistler Archive which we acquired in 2013. The archive was assembled by Laurence Whistler after his brother’s death and is an incredibly rich resource for anybody interested in Whistler’s life and career, and indeed early 20^th century art. Rex Whistler: The Artist and His Patrons is testimony to the value that the archive has, underpinning Nikki Frater’s extensive research and helping us understand the fascinating web of relationships that inspired Whistler’s work.’

Dr Nikki Frater has spent over 20 years researching the life and work of Rex Whistler. Drawing on vast and varied sources, Rex Whistler: The Artist and His Patrons brings together her extensive knowledge and research, culminating in an intriguing and captivating must-see exhibition. Furthermore, in conjunction with the exhibition, Dr Nikki Frater has authored an accompanying book, also titled; Rex Whistler: The Artist and His Patrons. Published by Paul Holberton, the book will be available to purchase from The Salisbury Museum shop.

The Salisbury Museum has announced a programme of accompanying events celebrating the Whistler exhibition:

• A talk from curator Dr Nikki Frater on 16 May discussing her research and work on the exhibition.
• From 11 – 14 June a performance of the play Darling Edith explores Whistler’s friendship with writer Edith Olivier.
• And finally, in September, diners will be invited to savour cuisine from a 1920s inspired menu, whilst enjoying snippets of satire from performers enacting the roles of Rex, his friends and patrons in an exclusive immersive dining event.

Plan your visit here.  And remember to follow us on our social channels for updates and behind-the-scenes insights Facebook Instagram X 

Rex Whistler’s Ulysses’ Farewell

Behind the Scenes

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behind the scenes, Salisbury Museum

Following last year’s sell-out Behind the Scenes Tours, we are now running the tours on the first Saturday of every month, starting at 2.30pm.

Led by the museum Director or another member of the team, this 90-minute tour is a unique opportunity to explore areas of the museum not seen by the public and view some of the many fascinating items in hidden away in the King’s House. Limited to 10 places, pre-booking advised.

Please see our website for more information & booking.

£12 Members; £15 Non-members
Pre-booking essential – book here

Please note, prices for the Behind the Scenes Tours will increase from June 2024.

 

Fancy a Walk?

ChalkEscape 2024 Walking Festival

With the very welcome arrival of spring there has never been a better time to get out and about in Cranborne Chase, with flora and fauna springing to life all around, the countryside is a wonderful mix of inviting colours, sights and sounds.

This year’s ChalkEscape Walking Festival provides the perfect opportunity to enjoy self-led or guided walks.  Our programme of events is available on Eventbrite.

Click for Full Programme

We would also like walkers of all ages and abilities to join us at Broad Chalke on Sunday 26th May where a series of routes, from 1 mile to 10+ miles will be available for people to follow – from ’treasure hunt’ style routes for families (what birds, flowers and more can you spot on your walk?!) to longer more challenging routes for experienced walkers.  At the end join us for a cup of tea/coffee and a chat to the team.

More soon, but the walks are available from 10am to 5pm on 26th May – watch this space!

THE WARDROBE by Volunteer Linda Robson

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Volunteering, Wardrobe, Wilts OPC

You may remember a Blog item from Volunteer Linda Robson a while ago. Her work for Wiltshire OCP on houses in the Close is progressing, and she has promised to send us snippets from time to time. Thank you Linda!

The Wardrobe which  now houses the Military Museum was, in the beginning, the residence of one of the canons who served the Cathedral. It later passed into the hands of the Bishop of Salisbury. It is probable that its use as a storehouse and administrative base for the Bishop’s household led to its name of Le Warderobe, a title first recorded in 1543.

In 1568 the reforming Bishop John Jewel gave it to the Dean and Chapter in exchange for the glass house, where the Cathedral’s windows were made. Possibly because it was closer to the Cathedral and also because now he had no need of the glass house for window making, as he had decreed the smashing of the idolatrous stained glass!
 
With thanks to Annie Boag who used her imagination to do this amusing drawing to picture the Bishop in the Wardrobe…

Love it!

Some of us remember that in the 20th century it was used as accommodation for the students at the College of Sarum St Michael, the teachers’ training college headquartered at The Kings House.

What’s On?

The Salisbury history, ceramics and natural history galleries are currently being fitted out with objects in preparation for re-opening which will be on 13 JULY with a free celebration event.

Entry will be free to all with an official ribbon cutting and placement of the last object in the Salisbury Gallery at 2pm. We look forward to seeing you there!

The Wessex and temporary exhibition galleries remain open.

NB Members and Volunteers ONLY Friday 12 July by arrangement.

Last weekend: Our delightful temporary exhibition entering its last two days…

This exhibition tells the stories of clothes and accessories from the past that have been repurposed, mended, altered and looked after. It asks whether this can inspire us to think differently about sustainable fashion in the future.

Two Rex Whistler events:

Rex Whistler: The Artist and His Patrons – Talk by Nikki Frater

7.30pm Thursday, May 16, 2024 

• £9 Members; £12 Non-members
• Please book here via Eventbrite. 

EXHIBITION Rex Whistler: The Artist and His Patrons

Monday, May 27, 2024 

to Sunday, September 29, 2024

Half Term:

May Half Term ~ Maypole Dance special!

Tuesday, May 28, 2024 

With no Cuckoo Fair in Downton and no Spring Fayre at the museum this year we have combined to create this fun family day at the museum to celebrate the arrival of spring in a truly traditional way.

Watch this space for updates and dance times on this day of May fun for all the family!

FOXTROT CHARLIE sent by Volunteer Alan Crooks

A Chance To Dig!

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Archaeology, Coombe Bissett, Excavation

Coombe Bissett Landscape Research Project 
Experience an archaeological dig

Join us for an upcoming excavation of interesting archaeological features, spotted during recent investigations with LiDAR and geophysical surveys.  

The excavation will run from Monday 6 May to Saturday 18 May (except Sunday 12 May), 1/4 mile up the Old Blandford Road (just past the black barn).  

Experience working on an archaeological dig, and help process the objects that are found. Find the Bronze Age barrow, farm enclosure and lots more…! 

To get involved in all or part of it, sign up as a Chase and Chalke volunteer below…

Sign Up Here

Two Hundred Years Ago

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JMW Turner, John Constable, Salisbury 1824

A view of Salisbury Cathedral, from 1824…

‘Salisbury Cathedral from the Bishop’s Grounds’ John Constable 1824

 This was a full-scale study for the picture of 1826 now in the Frick Collection, New York. It was one of several of this view, following a commission from the Bishop, John Fisher and who appears in the bottom left of the painting.

The bucolic view, and casually wandering cattle, tells us quite a lot about Salisbury at that time.

Turner portrayed a similar view about twenty-five years earlier…

‘South View of Salisbury Cathedral’ JMW Turner 1797-98

Even today, the meadows for grazing are only just the other side of the River Avon, which winds south, then east around the Cathedral Close, but in the early nineteenth century, and beyond, cattle were a common sight in the streets, especially on market days.

And 1824 was before the improvements that were made within the City to clear its by-then infamous open drains, so the centre, just beyond the Cathedral as it appears in these paintings, was often filled with muck and stench.

Salisbury had struggled since the glory days of the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, and by the late 1700s it was thought that close to half the population was close to the poverty line. The following offer something of a snapshot of life in the City that year. All are from the Salisbury and Winchester Journal, 22nd November 1824:

Poverty tended to beget crime, albeit generally on a small scale, though many minor crimes could earn the guilty a sentence of transportation. If you would like to read more about poverty and crime in Salisbury, try using the search box at the top right.

We have some earlier blogs on the coming of railways to Salisbury. Try this.

‘Trendies’ in Salisbury who have been shopping in Mrs Fisher’s or the Clement’s? From https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/1820-1829/ !! if you would like to see more.