Somerset Rural Life Museum, Glastonbury, Somerset
One very charming aspect of Somerset Rural Life Museum in Glastonbury is the building itself – a 14th century barn that used to be part of the home farm for Glastonbury Abbey. Now it houses a fascinating collection of virtually everything connected with life in this neck of the woods in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Make your way through the galleries where the displays delve into how folk lived in Somerset back then, about the agricultural, social and domestic aspects of everyday life. Discover how the land was worked, how the willow growing and peat digging have shaped the landscape of the Somerset Levels, find out about cider making and its associated traditions, and get a glimpse into the life of a farm labourer back then – farming of course, and food production has always been a huge part of Somerset life. You can see a farmhouse kitchen, just as it would have looked, see how country children were educated in village schools and how with their families they celebrated events and customs like wassailing and harvest home. The museum is full of artefacts that will have you wondering what on earth they are – a peat boat, a cider press, fuddling cups and wassail jugs, and oh, you must see the privy (outdoor loo, in other words). There are local paintings and ceramics, interactive displays of folk songs, tales of folklore to listen to and perhaps loveliest of all, the reminiscences of local people- oh, just listen to that accent, that wonderful soft West Country burr...
Round off your visit to Somerset Rural Life Museum with a sandwich or a piece of cake in the Grain Store Café.
Open Tues to sat 10.00 am-5.00 pm
T: 01458 831197 All information correct at the time of writing