El Galleon

El Galeon , or Galeon Andalucia, is a replica of a 17th century Spanish galleon and was launched in Spain in 2009. Original galleons were armed merchant vessels deigned to establish trade routes between Spain, the Americas and Philippines. This one is a floating museum and is currently in my local harbour so I grabbed a few cell phone snaps in my lunch break today.

Also in the harbour is the brigantine Morgenster, a former herring lugger launched in 1919 but converted in the early 1980s as a sail training and sea experience vessel.

Bayham Abbey

 Bayham Abbey is in Kent, close to Tunbridge Wells and a little over 60 miles away from me and, until last week, I had never visited.

The Abbey was built over 800 years ago, being founded in 1208. It was home to Premonstratensian Canons. These were ordained priests leading a strict monastic life. The Abbey relied on the financial support of locals, which was forthcoming, but also enjoyed the support of some important benefactors including Edmund Abingdon, the Archbishop of Canterbury. 

Further impressive building works were carried out in the 15th century but in 1525 the Abbey was dissolved on the order of Cardinal Wolsey. Despite some violent protests by locals which enabled the dissolved canons to return for a short while the dissolution order remained and the Abbey gradually fell in to disrepair.

Eventually the ruins became a feature of some impressive gardens of a new house built close by. Around 200 years ago some repair and consolidation work was undertaken and the ruins were opened to the public. They remain open, under the control of English Heritage and are free to enter.

Gressenhall Workhouse

 I'll start with a brief, lifted, history of Gressenhall:

In 1776 the combined parishes of Mitford and Launditch bought Chapel Farm at Gressenhall to build a ‘house of industry’ for the poor. Conditions were tough, however, poor families were allowed to live together and earn some money from their work.

In 1834 the Poor Law Amendment Act led to the transformation of the house of industry into a workhouse – one of 22 Union Workhouses across Norfolk. The aim was to keep costs low by making life for the paupers so unpleasant that people would do everything they could to avoid having to live there. A new system of classification separated men, women and children. Work included breaking stones, pumping water, carting gravel and oakum picking for men and domestic chores in the kitchens, laundry and female wards for women. The only benefits were the health care and education.

The workhouse finally closed in 1948. After a short period of time as a home for the elderly, Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse opened as a museum in 1976.

The museum is effectively split in two parts. Part one relates to life in the workhouse which could be pretty grim. It was designed to keep the inmates alive, clean and healthy but food was basic in the extreme, days were regimented for all with lights out at 8pm, punishments for breaking rules and and pretty much nothing to look forward to. There was no obligation to stay but if your prospects outside were limited it often amounted to the best option available. 

There are various display illustrating life in the house with stories from inmates and those in charge and the old laundry, worked by female inmates, also still exists.

The second part of the museum relates to Norfolk life in days gone by with quite a lot of old farming machinery, a village shop, forge, post office and schoolroom amongst a number of interesting displays.

Strangers' Hall, Norwich

I have been to Norwich many times over the years but the existence of this place has never really registered. Strangers' Hall is a museum of domestic history and is a Grade 1 listed building. Many additions to the building have been made over the years but it originates in the 14th century and has been home to many mayors of Norwich dating back to 1340. It is through one of the mayors that the name originates.

In 1565, due to a depression in the city's cloth industry, the then mayor invited experienced weavers and their families to Norwich to share their expertise. Many of these families came from Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg and were known as the Strangers. The Strangers revived the fortunes of the Norwich cloth industry and the Stranger community grew quite rapidly, introducing printing, gardening and encouraging plant cultivation.

The hall had a number of owners over subsequent years but by the 1890's it was empty and derelict. However, in 1899 a local solicitor purchased the building, saving it from demolition, and turned it in to a folk museum which opened the following year. It has remained a museum ever since and is now owned by the Norfolk Museums Service.

We visited a few days ago and found it really interesting with lots of period furniture and info on the artefacts on display together with histories of the house over different periods. Here are a few pictures from the visit.