Helston Folk Museum
Encyclopedia
Helston Museum is a folk museum situated in the former market town of Helston
, Cornwall
, England
, United Kingdom
.
The museum was founded in 1949. The building was originally designed as the town's Market House in 1837 as two separate buildings—one for Butter and Eggs, the other the Meat Market—and the museum was sited in the Butter Market.
The Museum expanded into the Meat Market in the early 1980s, then into the adjoining Drill Hall in 1999. A suspended gallery, the "Loft", was also added at this time that in turn allowed the creation of the MezzanineArtGallery.
A notable feature in front of the building is a cannon
salvaged from the wreck of the frigate
HMS Anson
which foundered off Loe Bar in 1807. Around 100 sailors' lives were lost in the disaster which led to the pioneering work of Henry Trengrouse
, featured in the Museum's Drill Hall.
The Museum's collection reflects both the social and industrial history of the Lizard Peninsula, from mining, fishing and farming through to home life in the 18th-20th centuries.
Helston
Helston is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated at the northern end of the Lizard Peninsula approximately 12 miles east of Penzance and nine miles southwest of Falmouth. Helston is the most southerly town in the UK and is around further south than...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
The museum was founded in 1949. The building was originally designed as the town's Market House in 1837 as two separate buildings—one for Butter and Eggs, the other the Meat Market—and the museum was sited in the Butter Market.
The Museum expanded into the Meat Market in the early 1980s, then into the adjoining Drill Hall in 1999. A suspended gallery, the "Loft", was also added at this time that in turn allowed the creation of the MezzanineArtGallery.
A notable feature in front of the building is a cannon
Cannon
A cannon is any piece of artillery that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellents to launch a projectile. Cannon vary in caliber, range, mobility, rate of fire, angle of fire, and firepower; different forms of cannon combine and balance these attributes in varying degrees,...
salvaged from the wreck of the frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
HMS Anson
HMS Anson (1781)
HMS Anson was a 64-gun third rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy, launched at Plymouth on 4 September 1781 by Georgina, Duchess of Devonshire.-History:...
which foundered off Loe Bar in 1807. Around 100 sailors' lives were lost in the disaster which led to the pioneering work of Henry Trengrouse
Henry Trengrouse
Henry Trengrouse inventor of the ‘Rocket’ life-saving apparatus, was born at Helston, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, on 18 March 1772....
, featured in the Museum's Drill Hall.
The Museum's collection reflects both the social and industrial history of the Lizard Peninsula, from mining, fishing and farming through to home life in the 18th-20th centuries.
External links
- Helston Folk Museum - official site at Kerrier District Council