More Strength to the Weeks.

This is a note from the South Somerset District Council Community Heritage Access Centre, near Yeovil with a thought on Somerset Art Weeks.

The Festival runs from 23^rd September 2017 to 8^th October 2017. From Bath to Minehead and near Cullompton to Templecombe, there are well over 100 sites to visit.

If anyone is travelling around South Somerset, particularly numbers 94 to 99 around Merriott, Martock, Stoke Sub Hamdon and Yeovil, (A3088; A303; A37; A30 and A359)make your journey even more special with a visit to the Community Heritage Access Centre, in Artillery Road, Lufton BA22 8RP, around 3 miles from Yeovil Town Centre and only half a mile from Yeovil Town Football Club – Home of the Glovers.

We care for around 60 art works ranging from the Angel Inn Panel to a 1990s ‘Pop Art’ Yeovil Artist. In between, we have architectural paintings of Montacute House; Portraits of the ‘leading lights’ of Yeovil Industry including glove making; plus fabric samplers; maps; air raid shelter diagrams and costumes – some of which are works of art in themselves!

We are usually open Monday to Friday 9-5pm. Please telephone to make an appointment on: (01935) 462886 or email: heritage.services@southsomerset.gov.uk

Or visit the website: www.southsomersetheritage.org.uk

A glimpse of the CHAC painting collection!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Collecting Mrs Maudslay

We have enjoyed a busy and exciting week since our last posting from South Somerset District Council’s Community Heritage Access Centre, (CHAC) near Yeovil.

Highlights so far have included an enquiry on the history of policing in Yeovil, from a former resident. Coincidentally, our current exhibition in Yeovil Town House is on the subject of historical crime and punishment, so this was a fairly quick enquiry to answer.

We have also received requests for assistance from Crewkerne Museum for their next annual exhibition and Ilchester Museum for their Norman-themed day.

A real gem of a story came in the donation of a pastel portrait. The portrait is of Dorothy Florence Maudslay born in 1892 and died aged 85 in 1977. Her maiden name was Dorothy Florence Fleming and then married Cyril Charles Maudslay, Director of the Maudslay Motor Co. They lived at Coker House, East Coker. Dorothy was very active in village affairs, holding committee meetings of the WI in Coker House and also giving out the prizes at the Yeovil Show. Dorothy was awarded an MBE in 1964.

The North Transept at East Coker Church belonged to the Maudslay Family until the Church took it over in 1985.

We understand the painting was sold at local Auctioneers in 1977 to a local family and then came to a neighbour of the donor. The neighbour passed away in December 2016 and the painting passed to a family member. The family member thought that our donor would like the painting and they then offered “Mrs Maudslay” to CHAC.

Staff enjoyed an exceedingly memorable morning meeting both the donor and the family member and sharing the fond memories the painting evoked. Both the donor and the family member were keen for CHAC to add the pastel portrait to the collection of paintings and artworks. Firstly, for the local person represented to be placed in a local context and secondly, also to highlight the significance of the existing portraits, which contain founders of the gloving industry, bankers, the founder of the first Yeovil Museum and even a Carnival King!

Staff had to explain, though, to colleagues when on the outward journey they had an empty car and then on their return, they had “collected Mrs Maudslay.”

 

The portrait is of Dorothy Florence Maudslay born in 1892 and died aged 85 in 1977. We believe the portrait in pastel shows Dorothy around the age of 21 before her marriage – when Dorothy Florence Fleming.

Dorothy and her husband, Cyril Charles Maudslay, lived at Coker House, East Coker.

 

A Punishing Schedule

A busy and intriguing week since our last posting from South Somerset District Council’s Community Heritage Access Centre, near Yeovil.

Highlights so far have included our volunteers visit to the Alfred Gillett Trust at Street, Somerset to discover how the Trust Staff look after the collection of shoes associated with Clarks International.

We have also wrapped up the objects for our forthcoming ‘Crime and Punishment’ Exhibition. The next step is to mount the labels and chosen photographs for the exhibition and rear panel in the Town House, Union Street, Yeovil. With the recent sunshine, we took the opportunity to take photographs of the Hundred Stone, just off Mudford Road; the former Ewens & Johnson Building near Stars Lane; the Magistrates Court next to Petters Way Car Park and the current Police Station off Queensway. These illustrations will accompany key captions in our display.

In the Anglo-Saxon period, policing in Yeovil was carried out by the Shire Court, held originally at Somerton and later at Ilchester. Below the Shire Court in power came the Hundred Court. In Yeovil this was held at the Hundred Stone on the corner where Combe Street Lane, Mudford Road and Stone Lane meet. Petty crimes were dealt with such as assaults and thefts and the condition of the roads.

In our ‘object of the month’ we consider a painting of Trent Manor House by architect J. Johnston, with a notable historical link. We only had a very brief description on our database, so asked our volunteer with an artistic background to provide some more descriptive detail. This was significant as the existing description read “Landscape View of Trent Manor House.” This is true, until  we discovered that the painting also includes a blow-up image of King Charles II and his hiding place in the Manor House. This detail was added along with more insights on the Manor building itself.

For the eagle-eyed among our readers, making the observation that Trent is in Dorset, the Kelly’s Directory for Dorsetshire 1931 notes the following on this point and more on King Charles II: “Trent – this parish 3 miles north-east from Yeovil was transferred from Somerset to Dorset as from 31 March 1896. The Manor House, formerly occupied by the Wyndham family, is famous as the place in which Charles II was concealed for 15 days after the battle of Worcester, September 3, 1651.”

The Hundred Stone – the Hundred Court. In Yeovil this was held at the Hundred Stone on the corner where Combe Street Lane, Mudford Road and Stone Lane meet.

The painting of Trent Manor House with the ‘hidden’ detail!