Tewkesbury Museum facts for kids
Tewkesbury Museum is a cool place to visit in Tewkesbury, a town in Gloucestershire, England. It's a small community museum that tells the story of Tewkesbury's past and its people. Think of it as a time capsule filled with interesting items from the town's history!
The museum is located in a really old building on Barton Street. It's a special 17th-century building, meaning it was built in the 1600s, and it has a unique half-timbered style. The building was given to Tewkesbury in 1956 with one important rule: it had to be used as a museum. Even with that rule, it took a few years for the museum to open its doors in 1962, after everyone living there had moved out.
Later, in 1974, there were some big changes in how local towns were managed. The old Tewkesbury town council was replaced by a new, larger council for the whole area. This caused some confusion about who owned the museum! Luckily, after some legal talks, the museum went back to being controlled by the Tewkesbury Town Council, making sure it stayed open for everyone to enjoy. This historic building is so important that it's officially listed as a Grade II* building by English Heritage, which means it's a very special historical place.
A group called the Friends of Tewkesbury Museum actively helps support the museum's work, making sure it continues to be a great resource for the community.
Contents
What You Can Discover
The museum has many interesting things on display that tell different stories about Tewkesbury and beyond.
Ancient Finds
- You can see very old Roman items that were found when the Roses Theatre was being built. One of the most fascinating finds was a Roman skeleton!
Battle of Tewkesbury
- There's a detailed model, called a diorama, that shows the famous Battle of Tewkesbury. This battle was a big event in English history, and the model helps you imagine what it was like.
Funfair History
- Learn all about the Tewkesbury mop fair, a traditional fair that has been held in the town for a very long time.
- Check out a cool model funfair from the 1950s. It's like a miniature version of an old-fashioned carnival!
Famous Explorer's Items
- The museum also has items connected to Raymond Priestley, a famous explorer who went to the Antarctic. He was from a nearby place called Bredon's Norton.
Soldier's Stories
- In 2010, the museum displayed parts of a diary written by a British soldier named Lieutenant Mark Evison. He was a member of the Welsh Guards and sadly passed away after being wounded in Afghanistan in 2009. His diary was shown alongside letters from soldiers from earlier times, showing how soldiers' experiences connect across generations.
See also
