AROUND THE TOWN AND OVER THE POND - 13: LOOKING BACK AT FAIRLYNCH: RALEIGH 400 (2018)

Continued from 

https://budleighpastandpresent.blogspot.com/2024/07/around-town-and-over-pond-12-fairlynch.html

AROUND THE TOWN AND OVER THE POND

A walk around Budleigh Salterton to interest transatlantic visitors. Every so often there’s a diversion which may inspire you to visit places like East Budleigh, Exeter, Sidmouth, Colyton or even places in the United States and Canada.    

The walk is set out in parts. Here’s the thirteenth part:

13. LOOKING BACK AT FAIRLYNCH: RALEIGH 400 (2018)

 

Summary: Marking the 400^th anniversary of Raleigh’s death at Budleigh Salterton’s museum

AA signs were used for the first time by Fairlynch Museum to promote a special event.  In addition to items on permanent display in the Raleigh Room, for the Raleigh 400 exhibition there were many special items on loan from private collections.

 

Clockwise from top left: . Sherborne Castle, Winchester’s Great Hall, the Tower of London and St Margaret’s Church Westminster

Budleigh Salterton was just one of the towns which marked the 400^th anniversary of Raleigh’s death with a special exhibition. Seen above are just some of the places which were all associated in various ways with Sir Walter. 

 

‘The Boyhood of Raleigh’ by Sir John Everett Millais

 Budleigh Salterton was an obvious exhibit to have for Raleigh 400.  ‘Sir Walter’ was a colourful extra. The painting, in Tate Britain’s collection, was worth £millions. It had been exhibited at Fairynch Museum on two previous occasions, but the building’s security needed to be updated for the 2018 display. 

 

Local art historian Maggie Giraud gave a talk about the painting in the run-up to its display at Fairlynch Museum.

 

 

Detail from ‘The Boyhood of Raleigh’ with self portrait of Millais in 1881. Image credit: Wikipedia

A second work by Millais was on display, on loan from a private collection. The subject was his son Everett, born in 1856, as part of his preparatory ‘sketch’ for ‘The Boyhood of Raleigh’.  This ‘Study of the child (Walter)’ is signed with Millais’ monogram and dated 1870. It is in its original Victorian water-gilded frame. The picture was exhibited in the Wolverhampton Art and Industrial Exhibition, 1902, and passed down through the Millais family to Mrs Perrine Moncrieff.  

 

The History of the World by Sir Walter Raleigh (1614)

Also on loan for Raleigh 400 from a private collection was this first edition of The History of the World.

 

Raleigh’s gloves; Rosemary Harden, curator of the Fashion Museum in Bath with Fairlynch Museum volunteer Martyn Brown

A rare exhibit on loan from Dent’s Museum, Warminster was a pair of Sir Walter Raleigh’s gloves. Described as in off-white doeskin, embroidered with gold and silver metal threads, tiny ‘spangles’ and edged with silver gilt fringing, they were dated as being made around 1600. 

Highly decorative gloves were a demonstrable sign of status and wealth, often given as gifts as a reward for service or supplication for expected favours. These gloves were not for wearing – hence their survival in such good condition.

 

 

 Seven Elizabethan coins in hammered silver and Woodbury's Nigel Tucker who found and kindly lent them for Raleigh 400

All these coins were found in fields near Woodbury, a few miles north of Budleigh Salterton. They were on loan from Woodbury Local History Society and form part of the Society’s Nigel Tucker Bequest.

Left to right, in order of value:

i. Halfpenny, issued between 1591 and 1595;

ii. Penny, issued between 1567 and 1570;

iii. Three halfpence, 1579; iv. Half-groat (two-pence), issued between 1582 and 1600; v. Three-pence, 1561;

vi. Sixpence, 1593, reverse (‘tail’); vii. Sixpence, 1565, obverse (‘head’) showing the head of Queen Elizabeth I.

 

 

17^th century armour and weapons including a musket, sword, pauldrons (shoulder armour) and powder flask were among the exhibits on loan to Fairlynch Museum for Raleigh 400. The items are part of the collection at Tuckers Hall on Fore Street, Exeter. The Hall was built and has been owned by the Guild of Weavers, Tuckers and Shearmen since 1471. 

 

Budleigh Salterton Riding School’s Rob Batson, on Doughnut, is wearing a replica Elizabethan outfit which was one of various costumes on loan for Raleigh 400 from St Nicholas Priory, Exeter.  He grew a beard specially for the occasion. 

As Captain Batson, of The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, Rob led the gun carriage troop which on 9 April 2002 carried the coffin of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on the George Gun from Westminster Hall to the service in nearby Westminster Abbey.

Rob rode on Doughnut from the Riding School at Dalditch to the Raleigh Wall in Budleigh Salterton. Doughnut, a veteran of the Trooping of the Colour Ceremony, proved a star attraction for visitors on Marine Parade. 

 

Rob and Doughnut appeared as part of Fairlynch Museum’s re-enactment of the painting of ‘The Boyhood of Raleigh’ by Sir John Everett Millais, who was played by Budleigh artist John Washington.

 

Museum volunteer Nick Speare played the part of the sailor with the outstretched arm. 

Local children, including girls, played the parts of young Walter Raleigh and Humphrey Gilbert. The scene was completed by various props, including the toy ship, an anchor, and even a plastic toucan.

 

‘Walter’ and ‘Humphrey’ get a lesson in wearing Elizabethan clothes from Fairlynch Museum’s Head of Costume Betty Hebditch.

 

‘Sir Walter Raleigh’ gives a running commentary on the proceedings for the benefit of the audience. 

 

Included in this group shot of museum volunteers in Elizabethan outfits on Budleigh beach is Rosemary Griggs in the red costume. A specialist in the history of Raleigh's family, Rosemary has since published two novels set in Tudor times.

 

The first, A Woman of Noble Wit, published in 2021, was based on the life of Katherine Raleigh, mother of Sir Walter. The Dartington Bride tells the story of  the Huguenot Lady Gabrielle Montgomery who married a cousin of Raleigh, an event which led to young Walter's involvement in the French Wars of Religion. 

 

Also in Elizabethan dress, dancers from the Tudor Dance Group perform at the opening of Raleigh 400. 

 

Raleigh 400 ale was specially brewed for the occasion. ‘Sir Walter’ met with master brewer Jonathon Crump at Black Tor Brewery in Christow to discuss the finer points of ale making. The brew had hints of citrus to acknowledge the fact that Raleigh is thought to have been the first to introduce Seville orange trees to England. 

 

Fairlynch Museum garden volunteers Ann Hurt and Odile Cook planted a ‘Sir Walter Raleigh’ rose in the museum garden.

 

The Raleigh 400 event attracted wide interest across the county. Devon’s Lord Lieutenant David Fursdon opened the exhibition. Among the guests were Lord Clinton, Patron of Fairlynch Museum, and Lady Clinton.  

Much of the cost of Raleigh 400 was covered by the Heritage Lottery Fund in exchange for Fairlynch Museum’s involvement in an educational outreach programme for local schools.

 

Top: ‘Sir Walter’ at The Beacon CofE Primary School, Exmouth; Below: ‘Sir Walter’ at Awliscombe CofE Primary School.

An educational consultant was hired to work with ‘Sir Walter’ on a programme of visits to local schools. Various activities were devised, including a game of Snakes and Ladders designed by pupils on the basis of high and low points in Raleigh’s life.   

Along with the Heritage Lottery Fund, Raleigh 400 received financial help from many other organisations and individuals, as well as specialist knowledge from experts who kindly contributed their time. The exhibition would not have been so successful without the loan of some fascinating and rare artefacts.

Click on the link to continue in Part 14 at https://budleighpastandpresent.blogspot.com/2024/07/around-town-and-over-pond-14-looking.html