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It is always advisable to contact a Museum first to make sure of opening times, and whether what you wish to see is in fact available. Museums may have part of their displays closed temporarily for various reasons. Also, many items of particular interest to you may be held in the Reserve collection. To view these it will be necessary to make an appointment. This list is by no means complete, but we have attempted to record places that are known to us as being of interest to strawcraft enthusiasts.
The entries are listed in county order.
Luton Museum and Art Gallery
Wardown Park, Old Bedford Road, Luton, Bedfordshire LU2 7HA
Tel: (01582) 546722/3
The upstairs gallery has been redisplayed and the straw hat industry is given a very good display. There is straw plait, hats, splitters, mills and lots of information. Allow at least an hour to appreciate the display, and look for straw work in the other galleries. If you want to view the collections then you need to arrange to visit. Phone 01582 546723 to arrange a time.
Stockwood Craft Museum and Gardens
Stockwood Park, Farley Hill, Luton LU1 4BH
Tel: (01582) 738714
As well as displays of rural life, skills and trades, the Museum has regular craft demonstrations, including straw plaiting. (Here you can see some of Betty Blackwood’s straw work)
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"Winding Lane" |
University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AG |
Windsor Castle
Queen Mary's Doll's House. Not in the doll's house itself but in the cabinet holding dolls and dolls' dresses:
Firstly, a gorgeous fine Straw hat, decorated with silk flowers of the corn, including a wheat ear made of Schnürli. Further along in the cabinet is the most beautiful white doll's dress, encrusted with Swiss straw work, all the motifs we know so well!
Dolls' embroidered dresses presented to the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret in the 1930s by the French.
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Amersham Museum
49 High Street, Amersham Old Town, Buckinghamshire HP7 0DP
Tel: (01494) 725754
This small Museum, which received the Museum of the Year Award in 1993, has a modest display relating to straw plait work.
Pitstone Green Farm Museum of Rural Bygones
Vicarage Rd, Pitstone, nr Leighton Buzzard, LU7 9EY
Tel: (01296) 668083
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Peterborough Museum and Art Gallery
Priestgate, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE1 1LF
Tel: (01733) 343329
Fax: (01733) 341928
E-mail: museum@peterborough.gov.uk
A splendid display on the top floor of Napoleonic Prisoner of War work. A "must" for those interested in straw marquetry. Many more items are held in the Reserve Collection; an appointment is required to view these.
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All Saints Church, Siddington
At harvest time, this little church is decorated for Harvest Festival (beginning of October) with several hundreds of Corn Dollies made by Raymond Rush. The decorations remain until Remembrance Sunday (the Sunday nearest 11th November).
Raymond and this wife Hazel live next door to the church where they run a small organic farm. You can stay at the farm house as they also do bed and breakfast.
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|
"Straw Maiden" |
Lawrence House, Launceston (National Trust)
9 Castle Street, Launceston, PL15 8BA
Tel: (01566) 773277 or 773047
Display boards of Corn Dollies by Joan Rendell MBE (author of "Your Book of Corn Dollies" and "Country Crafts") and Mrs. F. T. Norris of Colyton. Very fine Victorian straw bonnet in costume showcase on second floor.
North Cornwall Museum
The Clease, Camelford, Cornwall PL32 9PL
Tel/Fax: (01840) 212954
Winner of The Pilgrim Trust Award for the Best Small Museum in England 1979
A small privately owned Museum; absolutely delightful. Some Corn Dollies on display, maker unknown.
The Farmers Arms (residential)
St. Merryn, Padstow, PL28 8NP
Tel: (01841) 520303
A delightful country pub located in one of the most popular areas of Cornwall for holidaymakers. Lots of Corn Dollies to see and enjoy (maker unknown).
St. Issey Parish ChurchA beautifully restored Grade 1 listed building decorated with amazing Victorian stencil work. One of the small wooden panels on the altar in the Lady Chapel depicts beautifully carved ears of wheat.
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A house in Collaton St. Mary showing an interesting use of rick finials
Photographed
by Gillian Nott
City of Plymouth Museums & Art Gallery
Drake Circus, Plymouth PL4 8AJ
Tel: (01752) 668000
A disappointingly small amount of Napoleonic Prisoner-of-War work: four pieces of straw marquetry in the Reserve collection (part of the Harmsworth Collection)
Rougemont House
Castle Street, Exeter
Tel: (01392) 265360
Some absolutely amazing items held in the Costume and Textiles Reserve Collections. Appointment necessary; bookings available only on Thursdays
Ref. booklet "1st Floor Millinery" (50 hats from the Rougemont House Collection)
Topsham Museum
25 The Strand, Topsham, Exeter EX3 0AX
Tel: (01392) 873244
In the Sail Loft in Miss Holman's display case a straw marquetry workbox made by Napoleonic Prisoners-of-War (given by Miss Enid Marx) and a straw marquetry pin-poppet made by French prisoners on Dartmoor, donated by the Hon. Grace Lambert, can be seen. In the Tea Room on the ground floor is a Topsham Cross made by Lettice Sandford
Ref. "English Popular Art" (1951) by M. Lambert and Enid Marx
World of Country Life
Littleham, Exmouth, Devon EX8 5AN
Tel: (01392) 873230
Fax: (01392) 873533
Fun for all the family, and here you can see the wonderful straw bear made by Cathy Ryall, (read all about it in Corn Dolly Newsletter No. 15) Some beautiful thatching by Nat Barkwill from Starcross. Corn Dolly making also demonstrated some days
The Corn Dolly Tea Shop115a East Street, South Molton, Devon EX36 3DB
The perfect place to enjoy a light lunch or a real Devon cream tea and feast your eyes on a plethora of Corn Dollies (large selection for sale). Close by is Quince Honey Farm
North Road, South Molton, Devon EX36 3AZ
Where you can see various types of lip-work bee-skeps (maker unknown) after you've enjoyed your Devonshire Cream Tea.
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"Terret"
Worked and Photographed
by Ruth Wylie
Great Bardfield, The Cage and Cotton Museum
Dunmow Road, Gt. Bardfield
Tel: (01371) 810555
On show are crafts like Straw Plaiting and Corn Dolly Making
Braintree Museum
Manor Street, Braintree, Essex CM7 3HT
Tel: (01376) 325266
Here you can see straw work by Nevill Bonner, Hannah Freeman, Fred Mizen, Rosemary Meakins, Albert Rowe, Albert Ruffle, and gain an insight into the straw plaiting history of the area. Further information may be obtained from the Tourist Information Service, the Town Hall Centre. Market Square, Braintree, Essex CM7 6YG
The Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Bardfield SalingThree panels of amazing straw work made by Miss Dobson and friends, about 1800
Saffron Walden Museum
Saffron Walden Museum
Museum Street, Saffron Walden, Essex CB10 1JL
Tel. (01799) 510333/4
Fax (01799) 510333/4
Click here to send the
Museum e-mail
The museum opened in 1835 with the ruins of Walden's 12th century castle in
its grounds.
There is a small amount of straw plaiting material on display,
and a good selection of Napoleonic prisoner of war work and corn dollies in
the reserve collections.
Researchers and interested parties are welcome to
view these by appointment.
St. Andrew's Church, ShalfordText in straw work over the Chancel arch, and an altar frontal embroidered in plaited straw which was exhibited at the London International Exhibition in 1872
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Edward Jenner Museum,Church Lane, Berkeley, Gloucestershire GL13 9BH
Tel: (01453) 810631
Lipwork chair (See article Guild News No. 21)
Gloucester Folk Museum,99-103 Westgate Street, Gloucester, GL1 2PG
Tel: (01452) 526467
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"Stooks"
Worked and Photographed
by Ruth Wylie
Southsea Castle
Clarence Esplanade, Southsea, Hants. PO5 3PA
Tel: (023) 9282 7261
Fax: (023) 9287 5276
On Portsmouth and Southsea seafront, this is a must! On display in the keep are eight stunning straw boxes, work attributed to Napoleonic Prisoners-of-War
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"Derbyshire Dyke"
Worked and Photographed
by Ruth Wylie
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Museum of St. Albans
Hatfield Road, St. Albans AL1 3RR
Tel: (01727) 819 340
Fax: (01727) 837 472
A whole wall unit dedicated to the straw industry before the Second World War. (See Guild News No. 16)
St. Alban's CathedralIn one of the side chapels, two straw candleholders and a crucifix
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The Rose and Crown,
Perry Wood, Selling, Faversham, Kent ME139RY
Tel: (01227) 752214
Situated in the middle of Perry Wood, a mile south of Selling and similar distance north of Shottenden. (Grid ref. TR042552) Difficult to find, but well worth the effort. An amazing collection of Corn Dollies to delight you!
See article in Guild News 23, Autumn 2000.
Judge's Lodgings
Church Street, Lancaster
Tel: (01524) 32808
| Opening Hours: | Monday - Friday | 10.30 a.m. - 1.00 p.m. |
| 2.00 p.m. - 5.00 p.m. | ||
| Saturday | 2.00 p.m. - 5.00 p.m. |
The collection of work by Dorothy Horsfall.
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Lady Lever Art Gallery
Port Sunlight Village, Bebington, Wirral L62 5EQ
Tel: (0151) 207 0001
Fax: (0151) 478 4140
A very comprehensive collection of straw work, including items made by Napoleonic Prisoners of War and others, held in the Reserve Collection. An appointment is necessary to view these. You will need to check what is back on public display, as much has been withdrawn for purposes of conservation.
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"Vase of Tulips"
Worked and Photographed
by Dorothy Seedhouse
The Fan Museum
12 Crooms Hill, Greenwich, London SE10 8ER
Tel: 0208 305 1441
Fax: 0208 293 1889
In reserve collection, fans with straw work and other fibres from 18thC. A fan by Freda Rudman, together with straw marquetry and straw lace work can be viewed by appointment
Museum of London
Museum of London, London Wall, London EC2Y 5HN
Tel: 0207 600 3699
Fax: 0207 600 1058
Automated information line: 0207 600 0807
Princess Margaret’s 21st Birthday party dress decorated with straw embroidery designed by Christian Dior.
Science Museum
The Science Museum, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2DD
General Enquiries: 0870 870 4771
Fax: 020 7942 4302
Disabled persons helpline: 020 7942 4446
Educational group visits: 020 7942 4777
Swiss straw lace dress, jacket and bag made by Freda Rudman can be seen in the Challenge Gallery (see article Corn Dolly Newsletter No. 32).
Victoria and Albert Museum
South Kensington, London SW7 2RL
Tel: 0207 942 2000
From Christmas 2001 to early September 2002 there was a little display with straw work from the Collection of Textiles and Dress. The display was called "Straw - The Blond Goddess".
The display included eight items ranging from a straw embroidered image robe (dating from 1670-90) to a straw decorated collar (from 1880s). The display did not include straw hats but concentrated on other ways in which straw is used.
In the museum there is a collection of many items of straw related interest, including a lipwork Orkney chair, straw decorated fans and straw marquetry. Many items held in the Reserve Collection, for which you will need to make an appointment.
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Norfolk Rural Life Museum
Beech House, Gressenhall, Dereham, Norfolk NR20 4DR
Tel: (01362) 860563
Lipwork chair (See article Guild News No. 21)
Straw Museum
Colby, North Norfolk
Tel and Fax: 01263 761615
A unique Straw Craft centre founded by Ella Carstairs. Open Easter to October, this little Museum has a vast and exciting array of straw work and other ancient crafts.
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Pitt Rivers Museum
School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography,South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PP,
Tel: (01865) 270927,
Fax: (01865) 270943
A treasure hunt to find straw items…look hard, they're there!
Before you go arm yourself with some fact sheets.
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Somerset Rural Life Museum
Somerset Rural Life Museum, Abbey Farm, Chilkwell Street, Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 8DB
Tel: (01458) 831197
Fax: (01458) 834684
The Somerset Rural Life Museum has the Adnams’ collection of Corn Dollies. John Adnams and his late wife were taught by Alec Coker at L. Sandford's.
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Shugborough Estate
Shugborough Estate, Milford, Near Stafford, ST17 0XB
Tel: (01889) 881388
Fax: (01889) 881323
There is a comprehensive collection of corn dollies from the Sheila Sturrock collection on display at Shugborough Park Farm. This is a great day out for the family. Visit their web page for details.
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Monks Eleigh, Ipswich, Suffolk
Tel: (01449) 740456
Fax: (01449) 741665
Corn Dollies, Dried Flowers, Maize Dolls, Christmas tree decorations
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Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace, Surrey KT8 9AU
Information line: 0208 781 9500
Behind the door of the Queen's Bedchamber is a delightful Dutch painting “Friars in a Nunnery”, by Dutch artist Pieter Aertsen (16thC.). One of the monks is sitting in the most beautiful Orkney chair, with a skep work mat for his feet to rest on.
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Anne Hathaway's CottageShottery in Stratford on Avon
The Shakespeare Centre, Henley St., Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 6QW
Tel: (01789) 204016
Fax: (01789) 263138
In an upstairs bedroom, the doorway roped off, a TWIGGEN chair: - A late 18thC lipwork (skep) straw armchair. The high curved back with a pierced border of meander pattern, the enclosed seat raised on a timber frame with five turned castors; English, c. 1750 -1820.
Warwick MuseumHouses a small display of some of Minnie Lambeth's early Corn Dollies
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Castle Cary Museum (Market House),Castle Cary & District Museum and Preservation Society (AMC), 1st Floor, The Market House, Market Square, Castle Cary, BA7 7BG
Curator Tel: (01963) 351334
Fred Trowbridge collection of Corn Dollies
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York Castle Museum
The Eye Of York, York, North Yorkshire YO1 1RY
General information: (01904) 653611
Recorded information:(0345) 660280
Yorkshire Farming Museum
Yorkshire Farming Museum , Murton Park , Murton Lane, York YO19 5UF
Tel: (01904) 489966
In the implement building is an example of straw furniture using lipwork. It is a Valet - an aid to enrobing. It was produced as part of a Master of Arts Furniture Design Degree at High Wycombe, and is made with rye straw.
Temple Newsam House
Temple Newsam, Temple Newsam Road, Leeds LS15 0AE
Tel: (0113) 264 7321
You will need to observe very carefully this skep work chair, as only the very lower half is visible under a cloth cover.
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Museum of Welsh Life (Amgueddfa Werin Cymru), St. Fagan's
Cardiff CF5 6XB
Tel: (029) 20573500
In the indoor exhibition there is a collection of corn dollies. There are also two silk bonnets from the 1830s decorated with cat's foot plaits. The museum contains a large collection of farm implements. The Kennexstone Farmhouse from Llangyndd (Llangennith), Gower, Swansea has the usual thatch on the outside but inside there is an unusual inner thatch made by locking straws at 90 degrees as in the "Bride" corn dolly.
Ceredigion Museum, Aberystwyth
Coliseum,
The collections in the museum are of objects either made or used in Ceredigion (Cardiganshire) between 1850 and 1950.
Terrace Road,
Aberystwyth,
Ceredigion,
SY23 2AQ
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