Tuesday 10 May 2011

Museums little and museums big

Aren't local museums BRILLIANT? I love them. Here is Saxmundham Museum, closed all winter, open again in April, when the weather perks up and it's not so chilly.


Dorothy won't mind opening up. She can pop in at the Post Office on the way. Peter has remembered to drop off the front door key, which is admirable, that's the spirit, did you know he's had all that trouble with the neighbours?

Yes, here it is, Saxmundham Museum. Apologies are in order because Ivy can't find the Museum trails for the kiddies, and they were ever so organised only yesterday! Have a postcard instead. Have you seen our street? We've got a street at the back. It's a proper one, with things for sale in the windows. It's not only York who can do this, you know! We can do just the same, if not better, because our Henry helped fit it.


And Wilfrid Pickles! Did you know he'd come to Saxmundham, 1957, with Mabel? Broadcast from the Market Hall! Here are some stones from Buxlow Church, 1301, once known as Knodishall-cum-Buxlow.


Then don't forget to look at our agriculture display with our Land Army girl. And there are corn dollies. Don't you think Janet does some lovely ones?


She does so many, we don't know where to put them!


And the fellow hiding out in the prisoner's cell? He'll tell you a local tale. He'll tell you how he dallied with the dyer's wife. When the dyer found out, he was furious. He took that young fellow and threw him in a vat of blue dye, whereupon he came out blue from the tips of his toes to the top of his head. You would have thought the foolish fellow would have stayed away from the dyer, but no. A few days later he goes back again under cover of darkness begging to be made his normal colour. Then the dyer punches him, and says if he comes again, he can do him purple or green.

Really, is there any reason not to make a bee-line straight for Saxmundham Museum? It's open every weekday morning, and Saturdays too, unless there's a crisis like the year someone stole the strawberrys.

Altogether on a different scale, and just as brilliant, is Orford Castle with the Orford Museum located inside.


All I shall say here is that the English Heritage and museum staff are fantastically helpful, and it's such a quiet visit that I deduce something wonderful is happening in the audio guide too.