The pretty village of Allerford lies off
the A39 five miles from Minehead and one mile from Porlock and has
interesting old cottages and a famous Packhorse Bridge. It is recorded
in the Domesday Book in 1085 and is well worth a visit in its own right.
The museum collection was originally started through the efforts
of the West Somerset Archaeological Society members and now contains
several thousand artefacts from clay pipes to ploughs, mostly from
the Exmoor area. When you enter the museum you will be transported
back in time and will probably recognise objects used daily by your
parents, grand -parents, local tradesmen and farmers.
Most of the artefacts date from the early 1800s to the late 1950s
and are displayed in themed areas covering a very broad range of
rural social history. An extensive photographic
archive of West Somerset
is available to browse and topical exhibitions of memorabila are
organised at various times.
The Victorian Schoolroom has its original desks
and benches from 1821 together with slates, text books, toys and
examples of school
work by the pupils during the Victorian era. Visiting children
can dress up in Victorian clothes, write on the slates and play with
some of the toys from
the period.
Schools come to us for pre-arranged half-day educational
visits based on the Victorian aspects of the National Curriculum and are
taught by experienced teachers and museum guides. (See
school visits page).