Bradford's New Visitor Centre
What is the Preservation Trust?
Inside the new Visitor Centre
Bradford as seen through the eyes of an artist
Diary of Events
How to become a member
Kingston Mill
Bradford's newly discovered Roman Villa
Bradford's Millennium Embroidery
Message Board
Guestbook
Mail Form
|
Furnishing the rebuilt West Barn
Rebuilding the ancient barn was one thing and laying out the inside another!
Anxious to emphasise the mediaeval character of the barn Margaret Dobson and Rigmor Batsvik carried out some research on Middle Age manuscripts in the Bodleian Library and from these selected appropriate figures to be incorporated in banners designed by Rigmor. These now hang in the barn and are illustrated below together with an explanation of their importance. |  |
|
Four Banners in the Barn
Margaret and Rigmor researched a great many medieval manuscripts, both in books and through a visit to the Bodleian Library in Oxford, in order to find suitable figures for the banners. This was not a simple matter. The figures had to represent different aspects of life in the medieval grange. Also - this was the far more difficult search - they had to be of suitable size and detail to be transformed through modern technology into tall slim figures who would fit a banner shape.
The Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, has kindly allowed us to reproduce this material free of charge and we appreciate this generosity.
|
The lady with the hawk
 She represents the Abbess of Shaftesbury Abbey. The Abbey, owner of Barton Grange throughout the Middle Ages, was extremely wealthy and had many Royal and aristocratic connections. The Abbess was always, of course, of high rank. As head of a religious foundation much of her time would be spent on devotional and church observances but she would also enjoy a life style which might include many of the pleasure pursuits natural to the wealthy class from which she came.
Bodleian ref: MS. Bodley 764, folio 76 verso
|
The High Steward
 Shaftesbury Abbey was a highly organised financial business. With so many estates and granges to administer, there was an extremely complicated administation to keep under control. Each place would have its own Reeve, in charge of its accounts, leases, use of manpower and so on, but the Abbey High Steward would make regular visits to ensure that the manor court, together with anything to do with money, returns of goods and produce to the Abbey was being properly handled. His visits would be a matter of great anxiety to the Reeve and everyone on the estate.
Bodleian ref: MS. Douce 195
|
Up the working classes!
 Manual work at Barton Grange was intense and relentless since everything was done by hand. Each season brought its own kind of toil. Every person on the estate was obliged to spend much of his/her time working for the Abbey. This would be part of the agreement, often renegotiated yearly, which allowed a peasant and his family to remain housed on Abbey land. Nor were they able to leave and seek a living elsewhere. By today's standards they were little more than serfs. Any spare time would go on cultivating their individual strips of land to grow enough food for the family's use.
Bodleian ref: MS. Douce 195
|
The demure spinster?
 Before the spinning wheel, it was customary for women to spin using a distaff and spindle. When not taking their turns in field work, or other duties, for the Abbey or toiling over their own domestic chores, women would be using their "spare" time in spinning wool ready for the weaving process. Cloth made in this way might be for the family's own use. But in the Middle Ages the West Country was famous for its high quality woollen cloth., much of which was exported to the Continent.
Bodleian ref: MS. Douce 195
|
|
