Radstock Museum
{{Short description|Museum in Radstock, Somerset, UK}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox museum
|name= Radstock Museum
|image= Radstock museum.JPG
|established= 1989
|location= Market Hall, Radstock, Somerset, England
|director=
|website= [http://www.radstockmuseum.co.uk/ Radstock Museum]
|map_type = Somerset
|map_caption = Location within Somerset and the United Kingdom
|coordinates = {{coord|51.293557|-2.448552|display=inline,title}}
}}
Radstock Museum in Radstock, Somerset, England has a range of exhibits which offer an insight into North Somerset life since the nineteenth century.
History
The museum was originally opened in 1989 in barns in Haydon. The museum moved to its current site in the restored and converted Victorian Market Hall, a grade II listed building dating from 1897{{cite web | title= Radstock Market Hall | work=historicengland.org.uk | url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1136837 | accessdate=2006-12-10}} which was opened on 10 July 1999 by Loyd Grossman.
Exhibits
Many of the exhibits relate to the now disused local Somerset Coalfield and geology.{{cite web|title=North Somerset Coalfield Heritage Museum|url=http://www.wellssomerset.com/shop11851_cat2307_north_somerset_coalfield_heritage_museum_museums.htm|publisher=City of Wells tourist information|accessdate=9 February 2013}} The geology exhibits including fossils found locally particularly relate to the work of William Smith, who was known as "the Father of English Geology", and spent much of his early career in the local area.{{cite web|url=http://www.highlittletonhistory.org.uk/transcriptions/HLWilliamSMITH.pdf|title=William SMITH|work=Michael L. Browning 2005|publisher=Highlittleton Parich Council|accessdate=2009-10-28|archive-date=2016-03-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308223938/http://www.highlittletonhistory.org.uk/transcriptions/HLWilliamSMITH.pdf|url-status=dead}}
Other areas include aspects of local history including home life, schools and shops, and industries such as agriculture, a forge, and a printers.{{cite web|title=Radstock Museum|url=http://www.list.co.uk/place/20003567-radstock-museum/|publisher=The List|accessdate=9 February 2013}}{{cite web|title=Radstock Museum|url=http://www.culture24.org.uk/sw000177|publisher=Culture 24|accessdate=9 February 2013}}
Artefacts and memorabilia of the Somerset Coal Canal, Somerset and Dorset and Great Western Railways are also on display.
Religious life in the area is represented with exhibits related to John Wesley who founded Methodism and John Skinner who, as well as being rector of Camerton was also an archaeologist and antiquarian.{{cite web|title=Exhibits |url=http://www.radstockmuseum.co.uk/exhibits.html |publisher=Radstock Museum |accessdate=23 February 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207060144/http://www.radstockmuseum.co.uk/exhibits.html |archivedate=7 February 2012 }}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.radstockmuseum.co.uk/ Radstock Museum]
- {{EW charity|1075902}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Industry museums in England
Category:Grade II listed buildings in Bath and North East Somerset
Category:Mining museums in England
Category:History museums in Somerset
Category:Local museums in Somerset
Category:Museums established in 1989