Somerset Cricket Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1989 |
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| Location | Taunton, Somerset, England |
The Somerset Cricket Museum is a cool place in Taunton, Somerset, England. It's a small museum all about the history of cricket, especially focusing on the Somerset County Cricket Club. If you love cricket, this museum shares many interesting stories and items from the sport's past.
Contents
The Museum Building
The museum is located inside the County Ground, where cricket matches are played. It's in a very old building called the Old Priory Barn. This barn is so important that it's a Grade II* listed building, which means it's protected because of its special history.
History of the Barn
The Old Priory Barn is the only building left from the old Augustinian Taunton Priory, which was started around 1115. Even though it's called a barn, some people think it might have been a guesthouse or living quarters for a church official a long time ago.
The barn is built from local stone, which has been fixed with red bricks. Its roof is covered with tiles and has strong wooden beams inside. The doors and windows are made from special Bishops Lydeard stone.
Experts aren't totally sure when the barn was built. Some believe it's from the late 1400s or early 1500s. It might have replaced an even older building from the 1200s or 1300s, using some parts of that earlier structure.
For a while, the building was considered a Scheduled Ancient Monument, which is another way to protect important historical sites. However, this special status was removed in 1999. Interestingly, the barn was once used as a chapel by French people, possibly prisoners during the French Revolutionary Wars or Napoleonic Wars.
How the Museum Started
The Old Priory Barn became available to buy in 1979. The cricket club itself couldn't afford it then. So, the Somerset CCC Supporters Club stepped in and bought the building.
Over the next ten years, the supporters worked hard to fix up and restore the old barn. Finally, in April 1989, the Somerset Cricket Museum officially opened its doors to the public.
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum's exhibits and displays mostly show the history of the Somerset County Cricket Club. You can learn about famous Test match players like Ian Botham and Marcus Trescothick, who played for Somerset and England.
There's also a special part of the museum dedicated to the England women's cricket team. This is because the County Ground is where the women's team has its main offices. The museum also has a collection of items from the I Zingari cricket club. This club has a connection to Charles Clive Ponsonby-Fane, who is the current chairman of the Somerset Cricket Museum.
