News and Events...

Tour of Britain 17 September 2010

The Museum will open on Friday 17 September at 11.30 a.m., rather than its normal 2.00 p.m. opening, so that spectators for the passage of the Tour of Britain cyclists through Clare will be able to visit the Museum after the main excitement of the day is over. The Museum will remain open until 5.00 p.m.

New Trustee sought

The Trustees of Clare Ancient House Museum are seeking a new member for the Board. Trustees meet several times a year and are closely involved in the management and running of the Museum. We are currently improving awareness of the Museum, in Clare and in Suffolk, so some interest in marketing the Museum would be useful. For further information, contact the Chairman, Tony Taylor, at 01787 277421.

2010 Exhibition: The Churches of Clare: Living with Dissent 

Clare was not immune to major national and international upheavals on the political and religious fronts. Our 2010 exhibition reveals how our Catholic, Anglican, Quaker, Baptist and Congregationalist churches were shaped by these changes. Clare Priory was suppressed by Henry VIII, Clare Parish Church was physically attacked by the Protestant reformers and again by the infamous Cromwellian William Dowsing. Clare Dissenters actually stoned those of their members who wanted adult baptism, leading to a split from the Congregationalists to form the Baptists. Clare's Quakers flourished enough to build a Meeting House, but eventually disappeared from the town.

In the exhibition, meet Friars Nicholas Bacon and John Oxeford who participated in the Peasants' Revolt; George Colt and Dr John Stokes, Clare residents who publicly opposed Matthew Parker (later Archbishop of Canterbury); Francis Crow the Dissenting Minister who spent time in jail, and in Jamaica; George Porter who bequeathed his book of sermons to Clare; and even the Devil himself who, by legend, bought and collected the soul of a Clare Austin Friar.

The 2010 season is from 29 April until 2 October.

Clare Oral History Project

The Ancient House Museum has begun interviewing long-term residents of Clare for a project on the history of the town based on the memories of its residents. The project is headed by Anne Davies, one of the Museum's Trustees, who can be contacted via the Museum by anyone interested in participating.