These Snowdrops from Littlebury in Essex are January’s ‘Object of the Month’. The snowdrops were collected by George Stacey Gibson in a meadow at Littlebury in March 1864, so these preserved plants are 156 years old. George Stacey Gibson of Saffron Walden published the first Flora of Essex in 1862. This is an illustration of… Read More »
We are delighted to announce that Saffron Walden will be re-opening exclusively to our Season Ticket Holders, Museum Society members and Museum Volunteers from Thursday 10th December, to offer our friends and supporters a preview before full re-opening to the public in 2021. Pre-booking is essential and you will be able to book your timed… Read More »
Wallace says “Please enjoy your visit in safety by following our simple procedures” Hands there is sanitiser for your paws on entry, and all round the Museum Face please wear a face covering (unless exempt by government guidance) Space Wallace’s paw marks every 2m will help you keep a safe distance Temperature Check on entry… Read More »
Karl Wesche (1925-2005), Sculpture: Deutschland 1946 Despite the museum having been physically closed to the public because of Covid-19 lockdowns for many months, we have thankfully continued to receive many interesting research enquiries. Maybe in lockdown, some academic researchers had fewer competing distractions! For us working behind the scenes, the constant flow of research enquiries,… Read More »
Late Iron Age Butt Beaker Our Object of the Month for November has been chosen by Carolyn Wingfield, Curator. It is a late Iron Age beaker, imported from Gaul (France) and buried with its owner around the time of the Roman conquest of Britain in AD 43. Beakers like this were the fashionable drinking vessels… Read More »
Saffron Walden Castle is situated on a promontory at the junction of two streams, the Madgate Slade and the King’s Slade, in a position which would have commanded the valley westwards to the River Cam. Only the flint core of the basement remains of the once 3-storey keep. Inside are traces of a circular staircase,… Read More »
New Zealand Kiwi We’ve been busy over the last few weeks moving the bird taxidermy from a temporary home back to their usual store. October’s object of the month is a mounted kiwi skin, probably of a little spotted kiwi (Apteryx owenii), the smallest of the five kiwi species. With strong, heavy legs and no… Read More »
This silk reticule (bag) was made in the 1820s to support the campaign to abolish slavery. It was donated to the museum in 1927. The reticule is a beautiful and very delicate object. It is made from unlined pale pink silk with a drawstring at the top…. Read More »
Rachel Morris launches her new book on the 27th August 2020, inspired in part by her childhood visits to Saffron Walden Museum…. There can have been few children quite as geeky and eccentric as I was when I was ten. We were living outside Saffron Walden with our high-minded and austere grandmother, the four of… Read More »
Chinese Foot-Binding – Lotus Shoes Foot-binding was a traditional practice that originated in 10th century China, among court dancers and high society women. By the 12th century it was a widespread practice. In the early 19th century it was estimated that five to eight women out of every ten in China (taking into account regional… Read More »