Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum facts for kids
The Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum is a special place in Morpeth Chantry, Morpeth, Northumberland, England. It's a museum dedicated to the amazing world of bagpipes! Here, you can learn all about these unique musical instruments and their history.
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Discover the Morpeth Bagpipe Museum!
This interesting museum first opened its doors in 1987. It is located inside the historic Morpeth Chantry building. The museum is home to a very large collection of old bagpipes. It focuses especially on bagpipes from the local area, like Northumbrian smallpipes and Border pipes.
What Can You See There?
The museum's main collection comes from a man named William Alfred Cocks. He was a big collector of bagpipes from 1892 to 1971. His collection was first kept in a different place, the Black Gate in Newcastle upon Tyne. This was the home of the city's Society of Antiquaries.
A Special Collection of Bagpipes
The museum has many different kinds of bagpipes. You can see how they have changed over time. The Northumbrian smallpipes are a special type of bagpipe from the Northumberland area. They are quieter than the famous Scottish bagpipes. Border pipes are another type, often played in the areas between England and Scotland.
Music and Memories
Besides the instruments, the museum also has a huge collection of bagpipe music. Some of this music is printed, and some is handwritten. There are also many old photographs and newspaper clippings. These show how bagpipes were played and enjoyed in the past. Many of these old items tell stories about the early days of the Northumbrian Pipers' Society. The museum's current expert, called the curator, is Anne Moore.
More Than Just a Museum
The Morpeth Chantry Bagpipe Museum is not just a place to look at old things. It's also a lively meeting spot! The Northumbrian Pipers' Society holds its regular meetings here. This means pipers can come together to play music, share tips, and keep the tradition alive.
A Story of Resilience: The 2008 Flood
In September 2008, Morpeth had a very big flood. Water filled many parts of the town. The museum's team had to work quickly to save all the valuable bagpipes and other items. They successfully moved the entire collection to safety. After the flood, the Chantry building needed a lot of repairs. It was fixed up and reopened the next year. The Princess Royal even visited to celebrate its reopening!
