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FRIENDS OF ATHELSTAN MUSEUM Newsletter Autumn 2015

The summer has been a very busy time David and Su e are new members and for your committee, so although we have Ruth is now elected rather than co - been in touch with you on many opted . Welcome aboard. occasions there has been no proper newsletter - apologies for that - please Chris Perrin h as resigned as T reasurer enjoy this one. after several years ’ valiant service including two of the labours of Hercules - A GM the finances for the Lottery bid and Sue Poole, last year’s mayor and a great correlating the don ations and pledges for supporter of the museum , officially the appeal for the Moravian Church . A ‘opened’ the fire engine . It has been very big thank you to him. Thanks are recently restored and is now on display due also to Barry Dent who has handed in the window of the information centre, over stock control to David Heiland after proudly standing on its new plinth . wrestling with the vagaries of our Details ab out the f ire engine are on our volunteers for years. website: www.athelstanmuseum.org.uk T rip Then came the business part of the We had a warm, bright autumn morning meeting . After the C hair ’s report and the for the FOAM group visit to Salisbury . T reasurer’s report were the elections : We travel led in a yellow Andrew James coach to Salis bury, and the wiggly route Members of Council made us all feel glad not to be driving . Sharon Nol an - Chair , We walk ed through the Medieval Arch to Ruth Ritchie - Treasurer , enter the Cathedral Cl ose . What a Caroline Allington - Collection contrast between the narrow medieval Conservator, street, where houses seem to close in Janet Casselden - Education and above our heads , and the huge elegant Learning, space around the cathedral with infinite Catherine Doody - Hospitality, blue sky and fluffy clouds for the spire to Roger Griffin Publications and Publicity, ascend into . David Heiland - IT, Mike Johnson, We assemble d outside Salisbury Robert Maclachlan, M u seum and our Guide greeted us . He Maria Marsh - Collections and Exhibits, wa s well aware of connections we all Bridget Robison - Volunteer Coordinator, share with St and the Bis hopric Sophie Scruton - Events a nd Fund of Sherborne and explained them as we Raising, walk ed through the museum which is a Angela Sykes - Recording Secretary, former residence of the Bishop of Susann Winlow - Membership Secretary , Sherborne . Over coffee and cake h e Tim Burge (ex office and Museum explain ed what we c ould expect to find in Mentor). the exhibition: 'Turner's

Published by: Friends of Athelstan Museum Athelstan Museum - Hall - www.athelstanmuseum.org.uk Tel 01666 829258

Architecture and Ambition' - p ictures that been opened at Salisbury . It is have not been together since the 19 th magnificent and well worth a visi t . Each Century when private collections were display seems to be a mini - museum disbanded . We went on to see pictures about the period being shown and there of Salisbury Cathed ral and other town are plenty of high quality artefacts. Next views . An atmospheric film showed us we tour ed the Cathedral and we re taken views of the town from the position round by an experienced guide . We Turner painted them . Mike Lewis, who hear d how James Wyatt (an architect has attempted to photograph who also featured in the Turner Malmesbury from the position Turner exhibition) altered the Cathedral to make d rew, noticed that the film - makers it lighter in the nave . Stained glass was encountered the same probl em as he replaced with clear glass, coloured did: Turner, did not keep his head still ceilings were whitewashed . Our guide and paint what was in front of him, but did not approve! On the other hand, the included details from all around him . light was at times lovely especially The exhibition also had rooms devoted reflect ing off the new Font installed in to Portsmouth, Stourhead and Fonthill 2008 by William Pye. Abbey and pictures of Stonehenge including a study by Thomas Girtin (an Finally we enter ed the Chapter House artist who influenced Turner and whose where there i s a special 800 year drawing of the is in the anniversary display of the Salisbury copy Athelstan collection) . A little of Turner's of Magna Carta, one of only four copies . financial acumen i s revealed in his It is in excellent condition and a very expenses claim for his trip to workma nlike document - ink on Malmesbury in the late 1790s . His sheepskin . Each clause has been patron, Sir Richard Hoare of Stourhead, written successively across the sheet refuse d to pay one part of the claim! without breaks; no decoration . We all le ft feeling that the chance to see 'the real thing' wa s some thing worth doing in life, and we re glad we took the opportun ity.

Coin Hoard Open Day The museum held an open day at Malmesbury Library on Saturday , 19 th September to showcase some of the coins in the Malmesbury Coin Hoard . It was well attended by over 50 visitors . It was very kind of the library to let us use the ir room and interesting to talk with people who weren't expecting to see us

there . The volunteers enjoyed showing In the cloiesters of the coins so look out for another day in the new year. Over lunch a few of us peek ed into the new archaeological gallery that had just

Published by: Friends of Athelstan Museum Athelstan Museum - Town Hall - Malmesbury www.athelstanmuseum.org.uk Tel 01666 829258

Moravian A ppeal A real roller - coaster of an experience; museum in the Mal mesbu ry Unearthed we tried to keep people infor med as our display case . It still retains wood inside hopes rose and fell . Just as we were in and you can still see the designs in the a position to make a bid for the Church a metal . For a 3500 y ear old hand - made developer stepped in and offered the full arte fact it is in remarkably good price . He now owns it but has made no condition . attempt to do anything with it . The wonderful thing was the enormous Late N ight S hopping amount of e ncouragement and backing As usual the museum will be open for th we received; FOAM has a good late night shoppin g on Friday 4 reputation . Thank you for your support. December and we hope we shall be welcoming as many of you as possible . Our museum shop has had a make - over and now stocks a lot more items; it’s ideal for unusual presents for all ages which are interesting but don’t cost the earth.

Wiltshire At War - The Call to Arms 3 rd Oct - 1 st Nov Using letters and archives this exhibit ion tells the stories of men in called to arms in the early months of World War Portable Antiquities Exhibit ion I . It is the first exhibit ion of Wiltshire This enlightening exhibit ion over the County's multi - year remembrance of summer, part of the Malmesbury WW1 . It includes information panels and Unearthed grant by the Art Fund, gave a an interactive video display of storie s terrific introduct ion to the world of metal abou t the war . Its development was detecting and probably inspired a few supported by Athelstan Museum. budding metal de tectorists. Wiltshire's Story in 100 Objects th th Malmesbury Unearthed 12 Oct - 13 Dec The new permanent display of metal This fascinating exhibit ion tells the detecting finds from Garsdon and the histo ry of Wiltshire in 100 objects . It is Malmesbury area has prove d to be the result of a collaboration between the spect acularly popular with visitors . If you museums of Wiltshire, and Athelstan haven't seen it yet, make sure y ou look Museum is privileged to be one of the in the drawers as well . We do find we few museums in the county to host this have to polish the glass case an awful lot exciting display . The objects range from though! the stunning Archer's gold hair braids , an 1870's policeman's Bronze Age Spearhead Loan helmet, to a Linolite lamp made in There is a wonderful locally - found Mal mesbury and everything in between . Bronze Age spearhead on loan to the It is truly something not to be missed.

Published by: Friends of Athelstan Museum Athelstan Museum - Town Hall - Malmesbury www.athelstanmuseum.org.uk Tel 01666 829258

Volunteers There are so many ways you can help the museum . The obvious one is taking your turn on the front desk ; many people start with this and then gradually become more in volved, but there are many other opportunities . Education is one area where experienced hands are always welcome . Contact Bridget Rob i son, or if specially interested in education, Janet

Casselden, through the museum. Carniv al Again we entered the Carnival DISCOUNTS procession with a large and motley The following traders are o ffering 10% collection of w itches. This mobile coven discount to members on production of was larger than last year and was their membership cards . We are very enhanced by the presence of some of grateful to them for their support. the people from the Civil War re - enactment last year who came specially Jackdaw Café in the Town Hall to j oin in . Sue Poole worked valiantly on Flowers Galore, High Street the costumes with her own kind of magic and, of course, it was inspired by the E&S Ltd, hardware shop, High Street book reviewed below. Hyams Autos on servicing and repairs, Hi gh Street/Cross Hayes Witches Tony McAleavy, a very knowledgeable A4 stationers for art materials, local historian who has spoken to us High Street several times, has just published a book th CH White and Son, cycle shop, The Witches of 17 Century High Street Malmesbury . Fourteen women, mostly elderly, were accused and eventually Malmesbury Garden Centre two were hung! Tony has very kindly Judy Jones Gardening Services donated all profits to the Athelstan (07973 - 548615) Museum so if you buy a book you are doing us a favour as well as yourself! Adeline’s Farm Vegetable Boxes Co pies are available in the museum . He (Ros Holland 07970 729899) also spoke in the Abbey at the recent BBC History Magazine’s History Weekend . He gave a wonderful lecture on Malmesbury history.

FOAM Conta cts Sharon Nolan Chair 01666 822388 Ruth Ritchie Hon Treasurer 01666 825901 Bridget Robison Volunteers 01666 826606 Athelstan Museum 01666829258

Published by: Friends of Athelstan Museum Athelstan Museum - Town Hall - Malmesbury www.athelstanmuseum.org.uk Tel 01666 829258