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White Horse – dummy Puffin book by Eric Ravilious
Read moreIn 1939 Eric Ravilious was commissioned to create a Puffin book for children about the chalk downs and White Horses. He began a 'dummy' of
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The tale of Wiltshire Moonrakers
Read moreUS WUR CLEVERER THAN ‘E-AH, US DIDDLED ‘E ALRIGHT. In a pond up ‘Vizes way – smugglers ‘ad ‘idden a keg ‘o brandy & us
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Sir Richard Colt Hoare – catalogue of books and manuscripts
Read moreSir Richard Colt Hoare was born 9 December 1758 died 19 May 1838. He was a descendant of the famous banking family which was founded
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Gift of Stonehenge to the Nation – letter from Cecil Chubb
Read moreA thank you letter written to Canon Goddard from Cecil Chubb dated 1st October 1918 found whilst cataloguing a book entitled Wiltshire Autographs. This year
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Ship Money Tax – Kingsbridge Hundred 1635
Read moreStored in the Archives are over 450 boxes of papers given to the Museum over the years. The papers were donated and often represented research
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Cunetio hoard – the largest coin hoard from Roman Britain
Read moreThe Cunetio hoard of 54,951 coins was discovered at the site of the Roman town of Cunetio, near Mildenhall in Wiltshire. In 1978, after the
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Roundway Archer
Read moreBeaker from Roundway Down. A 3D model of the Roundway Beaker is featured on the BBC Civiliations Augmented Reality App – available for modern smartphones
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Calne Fates sculpture
Read moreThis sculpted block has been identified by Dr Martin Henig as depicting the three ancient goddesses of fate, the Parcae , and may come from
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Sir John Popham – Reports and Cases
Read moreWe have recently been donated ‘Reports and Cases’ by Sir John Popham of Littlecote, written in 1682. The Reports and Cases collected by the Learned
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John Britton
Read moreJohn Britton was born at Kington St Michael in Wiltshire (7 July 1771 – 1 January 1857) From an unpromising beginning he became an English
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William Cunnington III
Read moreA figure who should not be overlooked in the centenary year of his death is William Cunnington III (1813-1906), the principal founder of Wiltshire Archaeological
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Hungerford Papers
Read moreAmong the Library holdings are the Research papers of Canon J E Jackson (1805-1891) relating to the Hungerford family, their seat at Farleigh-Hungerford, and their
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Half Length Portrait of an Unknown Man by Sir Thomas Lawrence
Read moreThomas Lawrence (1769-1830) was a portrait painter born in Bristol, and the youngest of 16 children. In 1772 the family moved to Devizes where Lawrence’s
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Long-necked Beaker
Read moreThis Beaker was buried with a skeleton under a barrow just to the North of the Cursus near Stonehenge. The Beaker is carefully decorated with
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Cartoon for the Stained Glass Window at the Wiltshire Museum by John Piper
Read moreJohn Piper (1903-1992) was born at Epsom, and studied at Richmond and Kingston Schools of Art, and the Royal College of Art. He was also
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Avebury Restored by John Martin, 1823-4
Read moreJohn Martin (1789-1854) painter, engraver and illustrator was a key figure in nineteenth century art best known for dramatic work often of religious or fantastical
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Barbed and tanged arrowheads
Read moreArchery was important in the earliest part of the Bronze Age. Many of the barrows in the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site were built
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Inside The Circle by Henry Moore signed 1971-73
Read moreHenry Moore O.M. (1898-1986), was a sculptor born at Castleford, Yorkshire. This is the fourth plate in Henry Moore’s Stonehenge suite and the Museum has
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Bush Barrow – gold studs
Read moreThe Bush Barrow Chieftain died in about 1950BC and was buried under a barrow on top of a ridge looking down over Stonehenge. He was
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Stonehenge Cup – replica made by Josiah Wedgwood
Read moreThis a replica of a miniature vessel or incense cup found with a cremation burial excavated from a barrow close to Stonehenge. The burial was
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Britton cabinet
Read moreThis cabinet was made as a talking piece for a gentleman’s drawing room, once owned by the travel writer John Britton. In the top is
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Stonehenge dagger
Read moreExquisite flint dagger, known as the Stonehenge dagger, dating to the early Bronze Age, about 2,300 – 2,000 BC. The dagger is a masterpiece of
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Alexander Keiller’s trowel
Read moreThis trowel was used by Alexander Keiller during his excavations at Avebury. It was part of his archaeological excavation kit that included measuring tapes, and
Collections highlights