On Saturday, Volunteer librarian Bob Hann, together with four others plus the Director, Adrian, cleared what seemed like hundreds of books from a section of the library.
Asbestos had recently been found round some heating pipes and the bookshelves had to be cleared, though fortunately not the racks which have been covered in plastic. *
The books had to be taken down the stairs to be stacked on and under tables in the former costume gallery, now the new lecture hall.
The men did most of the carrying of books while the rest of the Volunteers cleared the shelves and stacked the books in their temporary home.
It took just over five hours. So, a heartfelt plea…
When the books have to be put back, are there younger, stronger Volunteers who could help? And perhaps a few more who could shorten the task?
*The asbestos was enclosed in the walls behind the bookcases and furniture. Volunteers removing the books were at no risk of coming into contact with, or dislodging, asbestos!
Last week saw the first of this year’s summer Discovery Days. These are drop-in events for children during the school holidays, held this year in the marquee on the museum back lawn. The topic for this session was Saxon jewellery.
Liza Morgan, education officer for SeaCity Museum, Southampton, and a regular contributor, took charge of the day, assisted by Volunteers Sally and Mary.
Liza provided lots of pictures, information and design ideas to help children make a ‘Saxon’ pendant. First the children drew their designs on to a cardboard disc. These were then covered with glue, then gold paper. Glue from a glue gun provides a 3D effect. Then jewels were stuck on.
The visiting children were then invited to reach into a bag and pull out a card with a Saxon rune on it, and were given a Saxon name which started with that letter. Another bag of cards provided a last name based on an occupation. (I was Alflaed Shieldbearer!). This information was then written on the back of the pendants which were worn round necks.
We had a steady take-up throughout the day and everyone was encouraged to view the Saxon jewellery in the Wessex Gallery.
Families ranged from local to ones from as far away as Belgium and the USA.
A prize for enthusiasm should go to one father who said he never had the chance as a child to do things like this, and had a go! His pendant was excellent, as were those of his two boys.
Several adults wandered over and wanted to choose a Saxon name. One couple, by chance, each drew the same last name – Peacebringer – looked at each other disbelievingly and simultaneously said “Really?!”
Real Saxon disc jewellery
Thank you Mary – and Sally – for volunteering, and telling us about your Volunteering activities.
As promised last week, work has started on the roof of the north wing.
And the stone has arrived to allow repair and reconstruction to the windows on the east front.
FROM THISTO THIS
The gardens are still beautiful. It is amazing how they change from week to week at this time of year.
Hollyhocks still to come! The Wooden Cabin had only just opened when this photograph was taken, hence the lack of customers. It is still, unsurprisingly, doing good business in all this sunshine. Recommended this week – the cinnamon buns, the sausage rolls with chutney in them, and their ice creams…
Thank you ladies!
And in case anyone is surprised by this view in the morning, don’t be alarmed…our lovely Receptionists have swapped shifts!
On 30 August 1826, William Cobbett, one-time soldier, and by then a political figure, and an advocate for the poor, was on his rural rides*. Having ridden from Milton near Marlborough, he wrote of that day:
“I got in to Salisbury about half past 7 o’clock, less tired than I recollect ever to have been after so long a ride; for, including my several crossings of the river and my deviations to look at churches and farm yards and rick yards, I think I must have ridden nearly forty miles….
When I came down to Stratford Dean I wanted to go across to Laverstock , which lay to my left of Salisbury; but just on the side of the road here, at Stratford Dean, rises the Accursed Hill**. It is very lofty. It was originally a hill in a sort of sugar loaf shape; but it was so altered by the Romans, or by somebody , that the upper three quarter parts of the hill now, when seen from a distance, somewhat resemble three cheeses laid one upon another; the bottom one a great deal broader than the next, and the top one like a Stilton cheese in proportion to a Gloucester one. I resolved to ride over this Accursed Hill… The hill is very steep, and I dismounted and led my horse up…”
John Constable’s version of the three cheeses, otherwise known to Cobbett as the Accursed Hill
*W Cobbett ‘Rural Rides’ 1830 (an account of four rides made across Scotland and England in 1822, 1823, 1825 and 1826)
**Old Sarum was a ‘rotten borough’ in 1826, returning two MPs to Parliament despite there being no population to vote…
Reminder!
ONLINE Talk by Chris Daniell – New Sarum 1086-1269
Between 1146 and 1220 there are eight references to ‘Old Salisbury’, or more puzzling the plural ‘Old Salisburies’.
This talk will assess the occurrences and make the case that Old Salisbury was an Anglo-Saxon Hundredal meeting place. The talk will then look at the development of New Sarum and propose two major phases. The first phase included the Close and a smaller secular settlement, and then the second phase, only a few years later, saw the development of the full Medieval layout of the city.
On-line lecture. Pre-booking essential
£9 Members; £12 Non-members
This is a fundraising talk for Salisbury Museum (registered charity no 289850)
A talk by Phil Harding about his book Joining the Dots: uniting Salisbury’s past through holes in the ground: Thursday, July 20, 2023
Salisbury is renowned for its superb medieval cathedral and planned city centred on its market. Traces of timber framed buildings, which served as homes for countless generations of Salisbury occupants, still remain. The lives of the former residents can now start to be reconstructed from the archaeological evidence, as parts of the city have been redeveloped. The everyday lives, health, diet, occupations, and social status of the residents can be illustrated using pottery, animal bones and food remains referencing how the urban population integrated with communities in rural areas. Phil and team have brought these diverse strands together for the first time to tell the story of the cathedral city and its residents through its engaging past.
In 2020 Phil was asked to consider revisiting a series of archives created by digs in Salisbury, with the aim of publishing them. The original digs were carried out in the early 1980s by the Manpower Services ‘Job Creation Scheme,’ but the results had not been published. Working with Lorraine Mepham and Lorrain Higbee, pottery and animal bones specialists respectively, Phil and team have created this broad narrative for all interested in the story of Salisbury.
There will be a book signing after the talk in the museum shop.
Pre-booking strongly advised as this event is expected to sell-out Pre-booking essential book via Eventbrite here
Tickets £18
Part of this years Festival of Archaeology at Salisbury Museum
This is a fundraising talk for Salisbury Museum (registered charity no 289850)
‘I was enthralled the whole one and a half hours and have told everyone about it!’
‘The whole experience was something very special and your enthusiasm was contagious’
Saturday, July 2, 2022
to Saturday, September 2, 2023 (first Saturday of each month)
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 but tickets may be available on the day – call to check.
Salisbury Museum on Bookshop.org
Buy books online and support The Salisbury Museum.
The museum now has a storefront on Bookshop– an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookshops.
Visit our storefront on Bookshop and select from our carefully curated range of wonderful book titles for children and adults, including staff and visitor favourites – ideal for history-loving, curious-minded would-be collectors, curators and archaeologists of all ages!
Ordering via Bookshop is easy and convenient – with delivery, returns, and customer service all managed by the Bookshop team – and the museum receives a 30% commission on sales via our storefront.
So it’s the perfect way to feel good and do good, as every purchase helps to support The Salisbury Museum.
It’s Coming!
Festival of Archaeology: A unique weekend of heritage fun for the whole family! Explore living history, craft-making, storytelling and talks for all ages. Held annually during July.
Sunday 26 March; 10.00 am to 5.00 pm (lunch included).
Not to be missed if interested in the archaeology of Wiltshire. The Salisbury Museum’s own Finds Liaison Officer, Sophie Hawke and previous FLO Wil Partridge will be speaking, amongst a stellar cast of others.
Archaeology in Wiltshire Conference 2023 The outline programme includes:- Melanie Pomeroy-Kellinger – Overview of Recent Fieldwork across Wiltshire David Roberts & Alyson Tanner – Recent survey and excavation of a Late Iron Age and Roman site at Coombe Bissett, University of Cardiff Sophie Hawke – Recent Finds reported to the Portable Antiquities Scheme Andy Hood – Purton Old Hospital site, Foundations Archaeology Royston Clarke – Wroughton, A C Archaeology Brandiers Farm Roman Tile Kiln, Cotswold Archaeology Barrows outside Salisbury, Cotswold Archaeology Wil Partridge – Wiltshire Museum Research Agenda Recent Fieldwork at Seend and All Cannings, Wiltshire Archaeology Field Group Richard Osgood – Aldbourne – Band of Brothers revisited, MOD DIO Date: Sunday 26 March; 10.00 am to 5.00 pm (lunch included). Location: Corn Exchange, Market Place, Devizes
Tickets: £37.50 (WANHS member – £27.50; student – £17.50 (with proof of status))
The museum was recently donated some ancient glass plate negatives. No information was with them, except “found in corner of loft of ancient building”.
However, some of them were quite easy to identify. For example, here is one of Crane Street: looking from the High Street end towards Queen Elizabeth Gardens:
We scan the images at high resolution as it is quite easy to downsize digitally. This image, I suspect, was taken by a professional with a tripod, the detail is amazing and one can now zoom in and look at these details.
The two ladies are aware of the photographer and standing still. Those who are fashion experts should be able to identify the outfits, including bonnets and a parasol.
It must be a hot day because many of the windows are open, as can be seen by these close ups here:
The sun is shining and quite high in the sky, as shown by the shadows of the roof outlines on the road:
One can tell it is summer by the leaf-covered trees:
That there is strong sunlight can also be gauged by the two first floor blinds, a most unusual sight nowadays. How were they put out? With a long pole from street level?
Alan makes seven more discoveries from the original photograph, recording more people, and commenting on street furniture. Can our readers do the same? Spend some more time with this, and we’ll find out later in the week what more Alan has noted.
We are also looking for a date for the photo. Let us know what you think.