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Romans invade Harborough for late night shopping!
Posted on 21/12/09
Community Services
Roman soldiers marched through the streets of Harborough on the evening of 4 December, greeting late night shoppers as they went. But rather than invading the shops, the Romans were out in force to promote Harborough Museums Christmas Treasures event.
Centurion Ocratius and his two legionaries travelled all the way from Chester to show Harborough residents how the Romans celebrated their winter festival, Saturnalia the origin of many Christmas traditions over 2000 years ago.
Around 250 visitors took part in the event in the new Hallaton Treasure Gallery. Children made festive laurel wreath headdresses and received the gift of light in the form of glowsticks instead of the candles given in Roman times a modern take on an ancient tradition!
Old and young alike got the opportunity to try on a Roman soldiers kit thanks to the Roman Tours re-enactment company.
In addition to the Roman Christmas activities, local authors Steve Bowkettt, Derek Lewin, John Frearson, Bob Hakewill, Mike Hutton and Barbara Cudmore were on-hand to sign copies of their new books. The library sale of surplus books from their local history section was a success with many people jumping at the opportunity to purchase rare titles.
Ernie White, Cabinet Member for Museums said,"It was wonderful to see so many people visiting the museum as part of their evening out. The Romans certainly gave Father Christmas a run for his money in entertaining the children".
LOOK OUT too for more festive fun at the Museum! Christmas Treasures craft activities continue on 18 & 19 December between 11am and 4pm. Children (aged 5-12 who must be accompanied by an adult) can drop-in and make some seasonal decorations to take home. Free!
For more information please contact Harborough Museum on 01858 821085 or contact Helen Sharp helen.sharp@leics.gov.uk.
Ends
For further details about the Treasure Project and Harborough Museum, see the following background details.
- To contact Harborough Museum phone (01858) 821085 or email harboroughmuseum@leics.gov.uk
Harborough Museum is operated in partnership by Leicestershire County Council, Harborough District Council and the Market Harborough Historical Society.
The Southeast Leicestershire Treasure is the archive of material produced by several stages of archaeological work undertaken by local community archaeologists and University of Leicester Archaeological Services. The site proved to be an internationally important ritual site dating mostly to the generations before and after the Roman Conquest of Britain in the 1st century AD.
The purpose of the project is purchase, conserve, interpret and promote the Southeast Leicestershire Treasure. The cost of the project is 933,872 which includes purchasing the finds, conserving the finds, displays at Harborough Museum and at Hallaton Museum, two touring exhibitions, web based resources, workshops for schools and community groups, and events for the public.
The project is supported by grants from The Heritage Lottery Fund of 650,600, 100,000 from The Art Fund, the UKs leading independent art charity, 35,000 from the Museums and Art Galleries Improvements Fund, 35,000 from the MLA/V&A Purchase Fund Grant, The Headley Trust, Renaissance East Midlands and local contributions from the Friends of Leicester and Leicestershire Museums, the Leicestershire Museums Archaeological Fieldwork Group and the County Council, as well as private individuals. The support of Harborough District Council is also gratefully acknowledged.
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) enables communities to celebrate, look after and learn more about our diverse heritage. From our great museums and historic buildings to local parks and beauty spots or recording and celebrating traditions, customs and history, HLF grants open up our nations heritage for everyone to enjoy. Since its conception, HLF has supported 26,000 projects allocating over 4 billion across the UK.
The Art Fund is the UKs leading independent art charity. It offers grants to help UK museums and galleries enrich their collections; campaigns on behalf of museums and their visitors; and promotes the enjoyment of art.It is entirely funded from public donations and has 80,000 members. Since 1903 the charity has helped museums and galleries all over the UK secure 860,000 works of art for their collections. Recent achievements include: helping secure Titians Diana and Actaeon for the National Galleries of Scotland and the National Gallery, London in February 2009 with a grant of 1 million; helping secure Anthony dOffays collection, ARTIST ROOMS, for Tate and National Galleries of Scotland in February 2008 with a grant of 1million; and running the Buy a Brushstroke public appeal which raised over 550,000 to keep Turners Blue Rigi watercolour in the UK. For more information contact the Press Office on 020 7225 4888 or visit www.artfund.org .
The Art Fund is a Registered Charity No. 209174
The MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund is a government fund, established at the Victoria & Albert Museum (V&A) in 1881 as part of its nationwide work. The annual grants budget, currently 900,000, is provided by the Museums, Libraries, Archives Council (MLA). The Fund supports the acquisition of objects relating to the arts, literature, and history by regional museums, record offices and specialist libraries in England and Wales. Each year it considers some 250 applications and awards grants to around100 organisations, enabling acquisitions of over 4million to go ahead.
Visit the website at www.vam.ac.uk/purchasegrantfund
The Headley Museums Archaeological Acquisition Fund has been established by the Headley Trust, one of the Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts. Its trustees realise the great difficulties many regional and local museums find in raising the money to buy archaeological artefacts. They are also aware of the proliferation of finds as a consequence of the success of the Portable Antiquities Scheme. The Headley initiative is intended to help museums secure and display notable finds. The Headley Scheme runs alongside and in collaboration with the MLA/V&A Purchase Grant Fund.
- Further details about the Treasure Project:
- For more information about Harborough Museum and the Southeast Leicestershire Treasure Project, please contact Helen Sharp, Project Officer, at Harborough Museum, on 01858 821087 or email helen.sharp@leics.gov.uk, or Frank Hargrave, Temporary Keeper of Harborough Museum, also on 01858 821087 or email frank.hargrave@leics.gov.uk
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