The multi award-winning Judge’s Lodging museum in Presteigne will be throwing its doors open for everyone completely free of charge on Sunday (September 13) as part of the Heritage Open Days national scheme.
Visitors who have not been before or just fancy another wander around the stunning Victorian rooms, can turn up any time from 10am to 5pm. Not only will there be all of the judge’s apartments and court to explore, but staff will be laying on additional activities to have a go at as visitors venture around, including a special challenge to find the ‘odd objects out’, where non-Victorian items have been cunningly placed throughout the house.
Early visitors can also take advantage of a coffee morning with yummy cakes, a book sale and chance to sit and chat with friends.
This is also the perfect opportunity to make the excuse to visit the revelatory Napoleon & Powys exhibition in the building, now in its final few weeks. Displaying objects from six museums throughout the county and items from private collections, the exhibition gives a fascinating glimpse into how the Napoleonic Wars affected the people of the area, from those who fought and French prisoners held here to those at home affected by the conflict.
There are weapons, uniform, battlefield souvenirs and prisoner mementoes to marvel at...there is even a piece of wallpaper from Napoleon’s bedroom and a lock of Wellington’s hair on display!
There is a special focus on Presteigne soldier Sergeant Thomas Burch, with his almost unbelievable story of lying about his age to enlist when not even 13 years old, his joining the ferocious Cameron Highlanders, his wounding in the Waterloo Campaign and subsequent return home to become the larger than life figure of landlord of the Bull Hotel, Presteigne.
His gravestone lies just down the road from the museum, in the churchyard of St Andrew’s, proudly displaying stone carvings of his medals and the inscription that he ‘served in Egypt, Peninsula and Waterloo and was engaged in upwards of thirty battles, sieges and skirmishes’.
More information about the Heritage Open Days weekend running through England and the borders can be found at http://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/
Picture captions:
A painting of the Cameron Highlanders fighting at Waterloo.
Image of the gravestone of Waterloo sergeant, Thomas Burch.
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For further information please contact Gabrielle Rivers, senior museum curator, on info@judgeslodging.org.uk or call 01544 260650 to ask for any further details.
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