Monthly Archives: May 2017

The Snow Queen

Victorian Christmas

11am – 4pm

Indoor Christmas market and Victorian fair in the Infants Schoolroom, with Barton’s only authentic Victorian Father Christmas in his secret Grotto.  Enjoy mulled wine around a blazing fire or afternoon tea in the festive coffee shop – come inside away from the crowds.

Museums at Night – Top of the Class Quiz

Join us for our second Museums at Night quiz.

Register your team of up to six for another evening of brainteasers and fun.  £2 per person.  Bar and raffle.

Pitman Puzzle

Isaac Pitman developed the most widely used system of shorthand, known now as Pitman shorthand, which he proposed one hundred and eighty years ago.  He developed his shorthand system while he was employed as teacher at the British School (just across the road from the Museum) between 1832 and 1836 – practising while listening to sermons in the town’s churches and chapels.  To mark the 120th anniversary of his death – we have one of the Pitman Puzzles which will tease visitors at a number of the venues taking part in this year’s Heritage Open Days.

Desperate Dan at 80 – Comic Capers

10am – 4pm

Desperate Dan, the wild west character in the children’s comic The Dandy, made his first appearance in the first issue in December 1937.  Come and share your memories of children’s comics to help celebrate his eightieth birthday!

Historic Barton Family Trail

10am – 12.30pm

This guided walk for families is designed to engage children with some of the town’s historic buildings and show the grownups how to use the new Historic Barton heritage trail phone app.  It starts at the Wilderspin National School and ends at the Ropewalk – lasting about two hours.  There are surprises at each of the buildings where we stop – including historical characters, a secret garden and short stories which bring the past to life.   All you need is good footwear, a sense of adventure and an appetite for juice and biscuits at the end of the trail.  The walk is free.  Booking is advisable telephone (01652) 635172 to book.

Train up a Child

Mr. Samuel Wilderspin, infant educator, or one of his esteemed Agents will lecture in the Primitive Methodist Chapel – specially opened for public viewing this weekend.   Mr. Wilderspin’s pioneering teaching methods will be outlined and will be demonstrated in the adjacent National School.

Lectures will take place today only between on the half hour between 11.30am and 2.30pm, and last approximately one quarter of an hour.  Public admission is free.

Heritage Open Days 2017

Our Heritage Weekend events are:

Train up a Child

Saturday 9th September, 11.30am – 2.30pm

Mr. Samuel Wilderspin, infant educator, or one of his Agents, will lecture in the Primitive Methodist Chapel on Queen Street on the hour and half hour between from 11am until 2.30pm, and demonstrated in the adjacent Infants’’ School.

Joseph Wright Hall – open to view

Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th September, 11am – 3pm

The first floor gallery of this Grade II Listed Building (Primitive Methodist Chapel, 1867) is open for viewing where members of the Queen Street School Preservation Trust will be on hand to outline plans for its restoration and reuse.

Historic Barton Family Trail

Saturday 9th September, 10am – 12.30pm

This guided walk for families is designed to engage children with some of the town’s historic buildings and show the grownups how to use the new Historic Barton heritage trail phone app. The walk is free. Booking is advisable telephone (01652) 635172 to book.

Desperate Dan at 80 – Comic Capers

Sunday 10th September, 10am – 4pm

Desperate Dan, the Wild West character in the children’s comic The Dandy, made his first appearance in the first issue in December 1937.  Come and share your memories of children’s comics to help celebrate his eightieth birthday!

Pitman Puzzle

Isaac Pitman developed the most widely used system of shorthand, known now as Pitman shorthand, which he proposed one hundred and eighty years ago.  He developed his shorthand system while he was employed as teacher at the British School on Queen Street, just across the road from the museum. To mark the 120th anniversary of his death – look out for Pitman Puzzles at a number of the venues taking part in this year’s Heritage Open Days.

Other Heritage Weekend events:

A number of buildings and sites in the town will be open as part of the Heritage Open Weekend between 7th – 10th September.  All are places of special interest or they are not usually accessible or the entrance charge has been waived.  Admission to every venue is free.  Refreshments are on sale at most venues.

Full programme details available: bartoncivicscoiety.co.uk and heritageopendays.org.uk.

The Ropewalk

Film Archive Shorts Night

Thursday 7th September, 7.30pm

Telephone (01652) 660380 for more details.  Admission is free.

Baysgarth Park

The Stroll in the Park on Saturday 9th September has had to be cancelled due to use of the park for the Barton Carnival.  The Civic Society will reschedule the walk as part of its 2018 programme.

The Ropewalk

Guided Tours

Saturday 9th September, 10.30am and 2.30pm

Telephone (01652) 660380 to book.  Admission is free.

Tyrwhitt Hall

Open for Viewing

Sunday 10th September, 2pm -4pm.  Guided tours at 2pm and 3pm – please confirm which you’d like to join when you telephone.

Telephone (01652) 635172 to book.  Admission is free.  Last admission 3.30pm.

St Peter’s Church

Open for Viewing and Guided Tours

Sunday 10th September, 10am – 3pm.  Guided tours at 10am, 12pm and 2pm.

Programme details are being constantly updated and maybe liable to last minute changes.

Also this weekend: Barton Carnival in Baysgarth Park

Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th September, 12pm – 5pm

Make Do & Mend

10am -3pm

All sorts of arts and crafts make use of odds and ends – recycling and re-using materials to make creative things and decorate around the home. Craft stalls selling and demonstrating, rummage sale, 1940s classroom for kids to try wartime recycling, and more…

Bookings for stalls are now open for amateur and commercial crafters who recycle to create! There will also be stalls available for local charities and organisations. Please get in touch for more details on (01652) 635172 or email enquiries@wilderspinschool.org.uk

Setting up from 8am. Tables from £5 can be booked by telephoning (01652) 635172

Classroom Crafts for Kids

1pm-3pm

The last of our four weekly crafts sessions during the summer holidays.  Children aged 5-13 can try out one of several crafts their parents or grandparents will recall – at school or in the home.   The crafts are different each week. This is the final  craft session.

£4 per single session or £3.50 per multiple sessions.  Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult.  Tel (01652) 635172 to book.