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In 2009, volunteers from the House on Crutches Museum approached a number of local artists to discuss “populating” the museum with life-sized figures. Following visits to the museum and familiarising themselves with some of the stories told there, the artists came up with ideas and sketches which were enthusiastically approved by the House on Crutches Executive committee. In 2010 the figures made their first appearance in the museum, and found their final positions in time for the 2011 season.

Now in 2012, to complement the town’s first Arts Festival, the House on Crutches Museum will host a special pre-season opening, to celebrate this collaboration.

The Arts Festival runs from 16th to the 19th February inclusive and the House on Crutches will be open from 2 – 5pm on Saturday the 18th February.

Look out for the colourful banner, made by local artist Beth Hendley, which can be seen hanging from the first floor window as you walk up the hill, and meet one of the founders of the museum collection, Sally Chappell, and our outreach co-ordinator, Judith Payne, who look forward to welcoming you.

See the artists' work in the House on Crutches Museum section of our website.

All of the market towns in South Shropshire have distinctive individual characters, and the 13th century market town of Bishop's Castle certainly has this character in abundance.  There is a magical quality to the town which causes its inhabitants to value and appreciate the local heritage and its visitors to enjoy, linger and return.

Some of this magic was captured last weekend during the Just Up Your Street exhibition presented by Bishop's Castle Heritage Resource Centre and South West Shropshire Historical & Archaeological Society.  

A House History Research Group comprising representatives from both organisations was formed at BCHRC a year or so ago to investigate the houses in the town, and particularly those on Church Street and High Street between the church and the Town Hall. The exhibition displayed the information gathered so far and included several decades of data gathering, in photographs, memories and information from visitors to BCHRC.

One of the highlights of the exhibition was an informative and entertaining talk “The Making of the Street” at 2pm each day, given by David Preshous, President of SWSHAS, with standing room only on both days.  Part of BCHRC’s distinctive contribution was their camera and computer set-up that enabled digital copies to be taken, on the spot, of deeds and other documents brought in my local residents.  Computerised copies of parish registers from BCHRC also generated a lot of interest, and provided the answer to some specific family history questions.  A town plan and information from the 1910 Land Tax provided a range of fascinating details, from the ownership and price of houses at that time to the fact that a modern bungalow is built on land that was once owned by the Earl of Powis. 

The event was attended by over 300 visitors and comments from visitors include “a real Bishop’s Castle do” and “a real community buzz”.   Janet Preshous from SWSHAS said, “The weekend was a triumph of partnership and co-operation.  We were delighted to be able to add our SWSHAS pictorial archive to all the research, resources and new photographs amassed at BCHRC.  We hope to hold lots more future co-operative events.”

Bishop's Castle Heritage Resource Centre will be travelling to Chirbury Village Hall on Sunday 12 September from 2 – 5pm when an exhibition will be held illustrating how a partnership between BCHRC volunteers and Shropshire Archives has enabled the Heritage Resource Centre to develop as a Local History Centre.  Volunteers from BCHRC have been working with Shropshire Archives over the last year in a Heritage Lottery funded project to photograph parish registers and tithe maps for approximately 20 parishes in the Bishop’s Castle area, and the registers and maps from Chirbury will be able to viewed on computer during the exhibition.  Staff from BCHRC will also be at the Village Hall to explain the process and to show how the images can be used and in addition, material that has been gathered in the last few years by Chirbury WI illustrating village life will be on display.

Following the exhibition, the display will move to Chirbury School for the following week.

All are welcome to come to the Village Hall to find out more about Bishop's Castle Heritage Resource Centre and the Local History Centre project.
 

This is the question that will be posed by an exhibition to be put on by Bishop's Castle Heritage Resource Centre at Carding Mill Valley tea rooms from Monday 16th to Sunday 22nd August from 11am to 5pm.

BCHRC is completing a Heritage Lottery Fund project to develop as a Local History Centre and the exhibition in Carding Mill Valley illustrates how the partnership between BCHRC volunteers and Shropshire Archives has enabled the Local History Centre to be set up.

On Sunday 22nd August a member of the BCHRC team will be at the tea rooms to answer questions about the project and what the Local History Centre can provide for researchers.