Richard Jefferies
Richard Jefferies – New era for the Richard Jefferies Museum, the “Old House at Coate”
New era for the “Old House at Coate”…
August is the perfect month for enjoying the countryside, and Swindon’s secret rural gem, “The Old House at Coate” is about to become a much better known destination on a walk around Coate Water Country Park. This old farmhouse, birthplace of Victorian author and naturalist Richard Jefferies, is owned by Swindon Borough Council and run as a Museum, and is at the threshold of a new period of development and promotion.
Please read on for more on the various plans to improve the prospects for the Museum, led by Forward Swindon, the Richard Jefferies Society and Swindon Borough Council.
New pedestrian access route opening
On Monday 22nd August at 12.15pm a pathway was officially opened by the Mayor of Swindon, Councillor Ray Ballman, heralding a new era for the Richard Jefferies Museum. This is a crucial step in the development of the Museum, solving the long term issue of access and visibility. The new path leads from Coate Water Country Park directly to the farmhouse, and people can now take a five minute stroll to the Museum, and enjoy cream teas or picnics under the shade of the beautiful garden trees.
Until today, it was not easy for the 500,000 visitors Coate Water gets each year to see or reach the Museum, which is sandwiched between the busy dual carriageway of Marlborough Road and a meadow on the edge of Coate Water. The pathway – although a simple solution – represents a significant step in the plans to promote and improve the experience for visitors and enable a much broader audience to enjoy this unique amenity.
Richard Jefferies Centenary Festival
This year the Richard Jefferies Society celebrates 100 years since the first Jefferies Festival held in Swindon in 1911. The free Festival runs from Wednesday 24th August to Sunday 28th August.
National accreditation achieved
A plan, produced by Forward Swindon, the Richard Jefferies Society and members of a planned Trust dedicated to the Richard Jefferies Museum was approved by Swindon Borough Council in May 2010. This is a practical approach to gradually upgrading and improving “The Old House at Coate”, its immediate surroundings, and the operation, signage, marketing and displays of the Richard Jefferies Museum inside. The pathway is one of the elements in the plan.
The Plan formed part of an application to the Museums, Libraries & Archives Council (MLA), for full museum accreditation. Successful accreditation was achieved on 25th July this year. Essentially this is a quality mark which covers everything from plans for health & safety right through to the management and governance of the facility, but it also signifies a new opportunity in terms of fundraising and promotion: MLA accreditation is important when applying to the Heritage Lottery Fund, for example. Next steps include setting up the Museum with charitable status.
Did you know?
Richard Jefferies’ story of a boy, “Bevis”, was first published in 1882, and tells a tale of the games and pretend battles he and his friends played around Coate Water (or “The New Sea” as Jefferies called it) as a boy.
The illustrations in a later (1932) edition of the book are by E.H. Shepard, who also illustrated Winnie-the-Pooh. He travelled to Swindon to draw the landscapes where the action took place, including the pictures shown below, which capture Coate Water and Jefferies’ farmhouse in Victorian times. The Museum has just been granted permission by the Estate of E. H. Shepard to create products, using some of the illustrations, for sale at the Museum. The first batch of postcards are available for visitors to buy.
What the project partners say – quotes:
Mike Pringle, Forward Swindon’s Director of Cultural Development says “The British love romantic landmarks – like Hardy’s Memorial and Tennyson Down – and we hope that over time the work we are doing to support the Richard Jefferies Museum will help people recognise we have our own literary heritage right here in Swindon.”
John Price, Chair of the Richard Jefferies Society, says “ I am delighted that a proper access path from Coate Water to the Richard Jefferies Museum is at last a reality. This will link the Museum and the Country Park and so bring together for the visitor the inspirational playground of Richard Jefferies and his home.”
Garry Perkins, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Culture said: “This is a simple step, but one which we hope will give many more people an appreciation of Richard Jefferies and the importance of his work.”
For more information about this project go to: www.forwardswindon.co.uk/richard-jefferies
ENDS
18-08-2011
18/08/2011