Perhaps not strictly a musuem, Colman’s Mustard Shop in Norwich stocks mustards of all sorts, plus all the paraphenalia such as pots and spoons and other Colman’s memorabilia.The company has been making mustard in Norfolk for over 180 years. Norwich is also worth visiting for the cathedral, castle and medieval streets.
Real Britain Company News…
Unusual museums – The Mustard Shop
Monday, February 7th, 2011Burns Night – 25th January
Tuesday, January 25th, 2011If there is one day that celebrates Scottishness it is not St Andrew’s Day or even Hogmanay but Burns night, the celebration of the birth of the Scottish poet.
In 1801, on the fifth anniversary of the death of Robert Burns, nine men who knew him met for dinner in Burns Cottage in Alloway to celebrate his life and works. The Master of Ceremonies was a local minister – a liberal theologian and an equally liberal host. Hamilton Paul and his guests shared Masonic brotherhood with Rabbie and Paul devised an evening which looked a bit like a lodge ceremonial, centred on a fine fat haggis; with recitation and singing of Burns’s works and a toast (in verse) to the memory of their friend and hero.
It was such a jolly evening, all agreed to meet again the following January for a Birthday Dinner for the bard, little knowing that they had invented a global phenomenon that we know as the BURNS SUPPER – which still broadly follows the Reverend’s original plan.
Robert (or Rabbie) Burns was far more commercially successful after his death than during his life. Although moderately successful as a poet he never could give up his day job as a hard working farmer and exciseman.
He was, however, very fond of the ‘lassies’. Jean Armour, Burns’ wife, bore him 9 children in 10 years, the last being born on the day of the poet’s funeral. He may have fathered up to 5 more with various other women. He was always in love and perhaps this is why he was such a prolific romantic poet.
Extracted, with thanks to the author, Clark McGinn , from www.Scotland.org
What is a Haggis
Thursday, January 20th, 2011Haggis is traditional Scottish fare, toasted and eaten on Burn’s night (see www.worldburnsclub.com for the Ode to the haggis and its translation). It is still eaten today, not just on Burn’s night, and very tasty it is too!
So what it is? Well its not a little furry creature. The ingredients vary a little but traditionally include sheep ‘pluck’ ie. offal (liver, lungs and heart), onions, suet, oatmeal, salt and black pepper, all stuffed into a bag of sheeps stomach. A good hearty dish! Sounds disgusting? Don’t be put off – it really is tasty.
It is served with ‘neeps and tatties’. ‘Tatties’ are obviously potatoes (mashed) but ‘neeps’ need some explaining. Ian (who is Scottish) says they are ‘turnips’ and I, being English, call them ‘swedes’. Anyway, we both agree they are the orange and purple larger vegetables not the small creamy coloured ones.
Celtic Connections Festival
Saturday, January 15th, 2011January is a dull, anti climactic sort of month with nothing much going on, so why not head for the Highlands for the Celtic Connections Festival? From 15 January until 1 February around 1,500 artists will be performing in over 300 events across 14 venues. There is bound to something there to induce good cheer!
Unusal museums – The Pencil Museum
Tuesday, January 11th, 2011Graphite was discovered in Cumbria 350 years ago and the first pencils were made in Keswick in the northern Lake District. The Pencil Museum is somewhere to go if the weather keeps you off the wonderful hills!
Unusual museums – The Witchcraft Museum
Friday, January 7th, 2011In the tiny north Cornish village of Boscastle lies one of the most weird and wonderful museums in Britain. The Witchcraft museum houses the world’s largest collection of witchcraft related artefacts and regalia. Not for the faint hearted!
Dick Whittington
Monday, January 3rd, 2011The subject of many pantomimes, (I’m off to see it in Birmingham soon) this character was a real person, although of course his story has been embellished in the telling over the 400 years or so that it has been around.
The real Dick lived in the 14th century. As the younger son of a rich landowner, Sir William Whittington, of Pauntley in Gloucestershire, he wouldn’t inherit his fathers’ estate so he set off to London to become a cloth merchant. He was very successful and became a major benefactor of the city. He was also a fine politician, managing to stay onside with two kings as well as the people of London. In fact he was major of London not three but four times, although perhaps the first time didn’t count for the purposes of telling a good tale as it was by Royal appointment, and only three times elected by popular vote.
For the full story visit The Museum of London.
Auld Lang Syne – what does that mean?
Tuesday, December 28th, 2010We all sing a version of this at New Years Eve but do we know the words or even still, what they mean?
(more…)
Guise Dancing
Thursday, December 16th, 2010Sometimes Geese, Goosey or Guize dancing is a Cornish winter tradtion practiced during the Christmas period, Plough Monday and some feast days. Guise dancing is a celebration of mischief, topsy turvey, and role reversal. People dress in gentleman’s hand me downs, and masked ball style masks to hide their features sometimes blacking or whiting up to complete their disguises, gender reversal was often a part of the celebration with some women dressed as men an vice – versa. They are sometimes dressed in tatters like those worn by some kind of morris dancers.
Extracted from Cornish Culture
The Museum of Everything
Saturday, December 11th, 2010I wasn’t sure whether to categorize this blog entry as an unusual museum or a calendar event, as it is a temporary, although annual, exhibition! This year the exhibition content is the inspiration of Sir Peter Blake and is open until 17 December. It realy defies description so visit the The Museum of Everything.
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