Wrest Park Collections Store Tour

Go beyond the grounds and discover an Aladdin’s cave of treasures in our Archaeological Collections Store. Re-purposed from floor to ceiling, visitors will now have the opportunity to journey through history discovering collections as varied as pre-historic antlers and Roman bridges, to Victorian banisters and roof beams.

Having previously been kept in five buildings across the country, a team of documentation officers, curators, museum technicians and archaeologists - all led by English Heritage’s conservation team - checked, documented, repacked and managed the movement of over 80 lorry loads of wooden pallets of crates, boxes and more challenging architectural items. This included an 8.5m cast-iron beam from St George’s Hospital in London. The artefacts at Wrest Park add up to a third of English Heritage’s total stored collection.

If you join a tour, highlights could include a collection from Kirby Hall in Corby, containing items such as fragments of 17th-century painted window glass, which Sir Christopher Hatton designed to impress Queen Elizabeth I; glass seals from wine bottles; clay pipes with intriguing designs, and ornate clips and buckles that used to be sewn into garments.

Larger objects such as bell jacks from the roof of Colombia Market based on 16th century tradesmen towering at almost 8 feet, can be seen lining up amongst the enormous shelves of architectural history as guides and volunteers lead visitors round the store.

Timings & Tours

Friday 13 September:

10:30, 11:30, 13:30 and 14:30

Location & directions

Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedford, Bedfordshire, MK45 4HR

Directions:

Wrest Park stores are located next to Wrest Park House and Gardens. Attendees should meet at Reception which is located in the main house.

Contact on day:

Rachel Kitcherside

Telephone number:

+441525860000

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking required

Booking conditions:

Please phone Reception on 01525 860000 to book on to a free tour on the 13th Feb! Please note, these tours will be a different offer to our usual paid tours. The Collections Stores are separate to Wrest Park House and Gardens.

Booking contact name:

Rachel Kitcherside

Booking telephone number:

+441525860000

Accessibility details

There is wheelchair access but please let reception know when you are booking so we can make suitable arrangements to meet your mobility needs

Additional information

You may park in the visitor parking area and make your way to Reception where you will be collected by the Collections Manager. If you're unsure where this is, on arrival, let the member of staff know you're here for the tour and they can direct you.

Max no of people per tour:

8

Est. tour duration:

0 hour(s) 45 minute(s)

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