The museums key project is to restore a local very rare Renaissance oak screen.
The screen (now in pieces) is a very finely carved wooden screen. It consisted of sixteen carved wooden panels held within a framework of supporters and caryatids. Each panel is unique, and contains designs and images of among other things pipers and profiles of faces within roundels.
The screen is thought to have been originally housed in St Leonard's Chapel (the Clock Tower is all that remains of the Chapel today). When the nave of the Chapel was demolished in 1836, the panels were purchased by local industrialist, George Templer (of Haytor Granite Railway fame). He used the renaissance panels to embellish the main chimney breast of his grand residence in Newton Abbot-Sandford Orleigh.
The screen if it could talk, would have witnessed many interesting conversations and scenes beneath its ornate carvings. The Victorian Explorer Sir Samuel White Baker, who discovered the source of the White Nile, retired to Sandford Orleigh. The screen would have been admired by his many illustrious guests, including the Prince of Wales and General Gordon of Khartoum. Gordon succeeded Baker as Governor of the Khartoum region, and spent his last night in England with the Bakers in 1884.
The screen has been saved from destruction by George Templer in the past, and it falls to our generation to save it from future deterioration now.
The fund raising bid to save the screen has begun, applications to the Heritage Lottery Fund and many other funders are underway. We still need more help to complete the task.
CAN YOU HELP US WITH A DONATION, HOWEVER BIG OR SMALL?
If you would like to become part of the project by making a donation
or by fund raising, in some way for it, you would be most welcome.
Please contact Felicity Cole on museum@newtonabbot-tc.gov.uk-Thank you.
(Photos will follow shortly-or go to Newton Abbot Town Council website in the Museum section)
May 27th 2010 'Devon History matters: From
Newton Abbot's food in the
1630s to the Second World
War' by Todd Gray
SUMMER BREAK
Sept 23rd 2010 Protecting Dartmoors past'
by Jane Marchand
(Dartmoor National Park)
Oct 28th 2010 Singer songwriter Nicky Swann
Nov 18th 2010 'Haig' a short play
by Nick Lucas
Dec 09 2010 An evening of 'Gilbert & Sullivan'
with Mike Sabel
WHAT'S ON
May - July 2010 Domestic Violence Exhibition
By Art Student Lisa Evans from Dartington.
There will also be stitching workshops in the
Council Chamber on 24th & 28th May and
10th June from 10am - 3pm at the Museum.
August 11-27 2010 Susan Young's 'Two Stories'
Photographic exhibition, featuring images of
the Ilford Polish camp
FRIENDS OF THE MUSEUM
Talks for 2010 May - December 2010
May 27th 2010 'A very fair and neat house'
400 years of Forde House
by Michael Martyn.
SUMMER BREAK
Sep 23 2010 'Protecting Dartmoor past''
by Jane Marchand
(Dartmoor National Park)
Oct 28 2010 Singer and songwriter Nicky Swann
Nov 18 2010 'Haig' a short play
by Nick Lucas
Dec 09 2010 An evening of 'Gilbert and Sullivan'
with Mike Sabel
All meetings take place in the Council Chamber of the Town Hall, 9, Devon Square,
at 7:15pm.
Free to members.
Entrance fee of £3:00 to non-members, can be limited for space.
Friends membership is £7:50 for each person.
This entitles you to 9 lectures
a bi-annual newsletter
and an inviation to private views and events.
supported by: Devon County Council - The Royal Albert Memorial Museum, Exeter - MLA Renaissance in the Regions
designed by imaginarium built by light source