THE National Trust’s Pride and Prejudice programme, making the 50th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality, includes Exile, an installation at Kingston Lacy, exploring the life and exile of former owner William John Bankes. Bankes, an explorer, scholar and art collector, inherited Kingston Lacy in 1834 and set about transforming the house into a…
LONGLEAT is launching a new event to celebrate all things autumnal. The Great British Autumn, which runs from 21st to 29th October, will feature activities including flying owl shows, apple pressing, mud kitchens and pumpkin trails. Set amid Longleat’s Capability Brown-landscaped parkland the event will showcase traditional and new autumn activities associated with the season…
ART and craft met at West Coker’s restored Dawe’s Twineworks when artist Simon Lee Dicker launched his book of drawings, Unearthed, at an open weekend as part of this year’s Somerset Art Works festival . This beautiful little book is a true work of art but it is also an important chapter in the long…
SOME of the world’s rarest 17th century tapestries are being conserved at Dyrham Park, thanks to almost £80,000 in legacies left to the National Trust. Highlighted by conservators as a high priority, two of the large Enghien tapestries, currently hanging in the 17th century house near Bath, will now be sent away for specialist cleaning…
BUSINESSESS along the A303 are invited to a business event at Haynes Motor Museum, on Thursday 2nd November. The afternoon will include workshops, presentations and advice and is open to businesses across South Somerset and the neighbouring counties. South Somerset District Council (SSDC) is working in partnership with Blackmore Vale Business Breakfast, Bruton and Wincanton…
DORSET County Museum at Dorchester has received one of the largest single Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grants ever made to Dorset – £11,349,200 to help fund a major redevelopment as part of the vision for Tomorrow’s Museum – Making Dorset Proud. This grand plan will transform it into a state of the art museum, fit…
COMPOSER, musician and choir director Karen Wimhurst will lead the grand musical finale at the AshScape celebration of Britain’s ash trees, at Springhead near Fontmell Magna on Sunday, 15th October. Karen, who conducts several local choirs, including Palida, will direct a performance of her new composition, Heartwood, a choral processional work, which is based on…
A NEW mural is bringing alive part of the railway history of Yeovil on a on a concrete covered stretch of wall that runs alongside part of the old line in what is now Yeovil Country Park. The painting by Bristol artist Jody Thomas is part of the Heritage lottery-funded V3 Involve Visit Volunteer project…
AN important hoard of 3,339 Roman coins discovered in Yeovil in March 2013 has been saved for Somerset and is now on public show, with a special event at Yeovil Library on Saturday 14th October. The hoard, dating from the second and third centuries, will be on permanent display at the Museum of Somerset in…
WINCANTON Racecourse celebrates its 150th anniversary in the new season, which officially starts on Friday 20th October. Among the special events will be a Victorian-themed raceday and a new book telling the history of racing in South Somerset. The specially commissioned 60-page hardback book, by the Dorset-based author, George Bingham, tells the story through anecdotes,…