Museum of…
Ledbury’s tiny museum of local history is lute-rich, loot-poor, finds Lucy Alderson
Where Butcher Row House Museum is a medieval timber-framed building situated on Church Lane in the heart of Ledbury, Herefordshire.
What This tiny two-floor, two room museum has a strong connection with the local area, primarily documenting the history of Ledbury and district. Originally one of 15 shops on Butchers Row that used to be on the town’s high street, the building was a butcher’s until 1819 when an act of parliament ordered the demolition of the row. This one building was moved to a garden behind one of the high street shops. It was re-erected on Church Lane in 1979.
Opened 1980.
Collection The collection consists mainly of household items from the Regency period onwards. There are, however, a few oddities, such as a Victorian “boot bath”, which was transported round the streets of Ledbury for those who had no washing facilities: its boot shape allowed the poor to wash modestly in public. The central display is a collection of Victorian dresses; the musical instruments are also “very popular” with visitors, according to Chris Johnson, the vice chairman of Ledbury and District Civil Society, which runs the museum.
Highlights “Probably the Ledbury lute,” says Johnson – a unique example of a Regency instrument. “It’s just been restored and we had a concert showcasing it in April.” The museum’s fife-and-drum set comes a close second for Johnson. “Around the turn of the 19th century there were a lot of these type of bands. We have a set donated by the son of a local band-leader.”
Help at hand Around 50-60 volunteers run the museum.
Budget The museum breaks even with donations and Gift Aid that amounts to around £3,000 a year, and income from sales (around £1,000 a year net).
Sticky situation “One of the main problems is the paperwork that comes with being an Accredited museum,” says Johnson. “Because we are completely volunteer-run, we can’t afford to pay a professional so we have to do it ourselves.”
Visitors 14,000 a year.
Future plans “We are planning to open up for the heritage open days in September, and we will try to do things in conjunction with the Ledbury poetry festival in July,” says Johnson. “Apart from that, we’ll just keep the museum running as it is.”
www.ledburycivicsociety.org
www.heritageopendays.org.uk
What This tiny two-floor, two room museum has a strong connection with the local area, primarily documenting the history of Ledbury and district. Originally one of 15 shops on Butchers Row that used to be on the town’s high street, the building was a butcher’s until 1819 when an act of parliament ordered the demolition of the row. This one building was moved to a garden behind one of the high street shops. It was re-erected on Church Lane in 1979.
Opened 1980.
Collection The collection consists mainly of household items from the Regency period onwards. There are, however, a few oddities, such as a Victorian “boot bath”, which was transported round the streets of Ledbury for those who had no washing facilities: its boot shape allowed the poor to wash modestly in public. The central display is a collection of Victorian dresses; the musical instruments are also “very popular” with visitors, according to Chris Johnson, the vice chairman of Ledbury and District Civil Society, which runs the museum.
Highlights “Probably the Ledbury lute,” says Johnson – a unique example of a Regency instrument. “It’s just been restored and we had a concert showcasing it in April.” The museum’s fife-and-drum set comes a close second for Johnson. “Around the turn of the 19th century there were a lot of these type of bands. We have a set donated by the son of a local band-leader.”
Help at hand Around 50-60 volunteers run the museum.
Budget The museum breaks even with donations and Gift Aid that amounts to around £3,000 a year, and income from sales (around £1,000 a year net).
Sticky situation “One of the main problems is the paperwork that comes with being an Accredited museum,” says Johnson. “Because we are completely volunteer-run, we can’t afford to pay a professional so we have to do it ourselves.”
Visitors 14,000 a year.
Future plans “We are planning to open up for the heritage open days in September, and we will try to do things in conjunction with the Ledbury poetry festival in July,” says Johnson. “Apart from that, we’ll just keep the museum running as it is.”
www.ledburycivicsociety.org
www.heritageopendays.org.uk