The Museum of… Our pick of the UK’s specialist collections
Roman Britain in all its shapes and forms is at the heart of the Jewry Wall Museum in Leicester, writes Louise Gray
What
The Jewry Wall Museum is Leicester’s museum of archaeology. Located in a Grade II-listed building in the city centre, it has the UK’s tallest surviving piece of civil Roman architecture in its grounds, the Jewry Wall, which is part of the remains of the bathhouse of Ratae Corieltauvorum (Roman Leicester), one of the biggest towns in Roman Britain.
Opened
1966.
Collection
“We cover Leicester from prehistory to the medieval period,” says the museum’s senior curator Laura Hadland. Its key strength is its Roman collection. “One of our many mosaics, the Blackfriars Pavement, has been described as the finest in the country.”
There is also an impressive collection of Roman architecture, including painted wall plaster, the bath site and the 26-foot tall Jewry Wall itself – its name probably comes from the town’s jurats meeting place nearby. There are also palaeolithic tools, remnants of Leicester Abbey, and the remains and grave goods of an Anglo-Saxon female, known locally as the Glen Parva Lady.
Help at hand
The museum is run by Hadland and up to four volunteers. There are also four customer service assistants in charge of the front of house.
“One of our greatest assets is the 100-plus Friends of Jewry Wall Museum, an organisation established in 2004 to fight against the proposed closure of the museum,” says Hadland.
“It has now created its own re-enactment group, the Ratae Romans, putting on events such as guided tours, Roman funeral processions and demonstrations of Roman food.”
The Friends received the East Midlands Marsh Trust Award for Volunteers in Museum Learning earlier this year.
Budget
The museum is funded by Leicester City Council. General admission is free.
Highlights
Hadland singles out a statue of the Egyptian god, Anubis, which travelled to Leicester in the Roman period, some Roman curse tablets and the bathhouse site itself.
The museum is also proud of its most recent purchase – the Kilby Hoard of 7,000 third-century Roman coins – which was bought with help from the City of Leicester Museums Trust and the Friends of Jewry Wall Museum.
Visitors
25,000 a year.
Sticky moment
“The team is such a well-oiled machine that we rarely experience any sticky moments,” says Hadland.
Survival tip
“Don’t panic and always carry a towel,” says Hadland.
Future projects
In 2013, the museum will display its virtual model of Roman Leicester, a project worked on with De Montfort University. The museum is also completing a display in partnership with the Leicester Search Society to show the collection of the late Trevor Rainer, a local metal detectorist.
The Jewry Wall Museum is Leicester’s museum of archaeology. Located in a Grade II-listed building in the city centre, it has the UK’s tallest surviving piece of civil Roman architecture in its grounds, the Jewry Wall, which is part of the remains of the bathhouse of Ratae Corieltauvorum (Roman Leicester), one of the biggest towns in Roman Britain.
Opened
1966.
Collection
“We cover Leicester from prehistory to the medieval period,” says the museum’s senior curator Laura Hadland. Its key strength is its Roman collection. “One of our many mosaics, the Blackfriars Pavement, has been described as the finest in the country.”
There is also an impressive collection of Roman architecture, including painted wall plaster, the bath site and the 26-foot tall Jewry Wall itself – its name probably comes from the town’s jurats meeting place nearby. There are also palaeolithic tools, remnants of Leicester Abbey, and the remains and grave goods of an Anglo-Saxon female, known locally as the Glen Parva Lady.
Help at hand
The museum is run by Hadland and up to four volunteers. There are also four customer service assistants in charge of the front of house.
“One of our greatest assets is the 100-plus Friends of Jewry Wall Museum, an organisation established in 2004 to fight against the proposed closure of the museum,” says Hadland.
“It has now created its own re-enactment group, the Ratae Romans, putting on events such as guided tours, Roman funeral processions and demonstrations of Roman food.”
The Friends received the East Midlands Marsh Trust Award for Volunteers in Museum Learning earlier this year.
Budget
The museum is funded by Leicester City Council. General admission is free.
Highlights
Hadland singles out a statue of the Egyptian god, Anubis, which travelled to Leicester in the Roman period, some Roman curse tablets and the bathhouse site itself.
The museum is also proud of its most recent purchase – the Kilby Hoard of 7,000 third-century Roman coins – which was bought with help from the City of Leicester Museums Trust and the Friends of Jewry Wall Museum.
Visitors
25,000 a year.
Sticky moment
“The team is such a well-oiled machine that we rarely experience any sticky moments,” says Hadland.
Survival tip
“Don’t panic and always carry a towel,” says Hadland.
Future projects
In 2013, the museum will display its virtual model of Roman Leicester, a project worked on with De Montfort University. The museum is also completing a display in partnership with the Leicester Search Society to show the collection of the late Trevor Rainer, a local metal detectorist.