Corinium Museum

Corinium Museum Events

Holiday activities at Corinium Museum

This February holiday why not take part in some fun hands-on activities at the Corinium Museum? There will be three activities on offer: Writing through Time, Roman Jewellery and Investigate the People of Roman Corinium.

Writing through Time, on Tuesday 20th February, is a drop-in activity for families. There will be the opportunity to investigate different forms of writing from the past and then to make a name plate to take home. The activities start at 11.00am and finish at 3.00pm. There is no need to book and the activities are included in the cost of admission.

Roman Jewellery, on Wednesday 21st February, is a two-hour workshop starting at 10.00am, suitable for 7 – 12 year olds. Children will find out how Roman craftsmen made different sorts of jewellery and then have the opportunity to design and make their own brooches to take home. These popular workshops book quickly and spaces are limited so to avoid disappointment please contact the Museum to make a booking. This workshop costs £4.00 or £2.00 for annual season ticket holders.

Investigate the People of Roman Corinium, on Wednesday 21st February, is a two-hour workshop aimed at families with children aged 7 and up. Become history detectives. Work together- look at replica objects and decipher Roman tombstones to discover who the people of Roman Corinium really were. Spaces are limited, so to avoid disappointment please contact the Museum to make a booking. This activity is included in the price of admission.

The Anglo-Saxons who made Gloucestershire

Historian Tim Porter returns to the Corinium Museum, Cirencester, with a series of three talks focusing on the making of Gloucestershire.

Each talk gives an insight into the Anglo-Saxon people, some heroic, some villainous, who ruled our region and how their deeds led to the creation of Gloucestershire, as we still know it today.

The series begins on Friday 26th January with a look at the Kings of the Hwicce, rulers of a mysterious Anglo-Saxon kingdom in the Severn/Cotswold region, long before our shires were founded.

On Friday 2nd February, there will be a chance to find out about the Lady of Mercia, King Alfred’s daughter, and her battles in our region against the Vikings.

The third and final talk, on Friday 9th February, tells us about Edric Streona, who played a hazardous game of treachery in the days of Danegeld. It was under Edric’s rule, one thousand years ago, that our local shires came into being.

Each of these talks runs from 3pm - 5pm. Tickets cost £6.50 per talk, with a 10% discount for annual season tickets holders and Friends of the Corinium Museum. Booking is essential. For more details or to book, please contact the Corinium Museum on 01285 655611 or email: museums@cotswold.gov.uk

Corinium Museum's Joy As Going For Gold Appeal Hits Target

29th January 2007

A £20,000 campaign to keep a rare hoard of 3,000-year-old gold in the Cotswolds has reached its target, the Corinium Museum revealed today.

The Going For Gold appeal was launched last October by the Cotswold District Council-owned museum – and staff were amazed by the response.

Public donations of £3,000 rolled in over just three months, enabling the museum to secure £17,000 worth of grant money form the MLA/V&A Purchase Fund, the Headley Trust, and the National Art Fund.

The Bronze Age hoard, which was unearthed by a metal detector enthusiast on land near Poulton in 2004, will be collected from the British Museum early next month.

It will then undergo conservation, before going on temporary display at the Corinium Museum, Cirencester, this Spring. In September, it will go on permanent display in the museum’s Prehistory Gallery in a new case, which is being specially made.

The 59 pieces of gold were declared treasure last year by the coroner and the proceeds of the sale will be split between the landowner and the finder.

The hoard, which is thought be dated between 1300 and 1150 BC, is the only such Bronze Age gold collection to be found in the Cotswolds. It consists of chopped items and fragments of gold, which are thought to have been buried by their owner – either to use again or as an offering of thanks to the gods.

Analysis of the hoard suggests that objects include fragments of jewellery, sheet gold-work and the tip of a bronze spearhead. It also contained bronze tools, which link the find to a goldsmith working in the Cotswolds more then 3,000 years ago.

Cotswold District Council’s Portfolio holder for Leisure and Cultural Services, Cllr David Fowles, said: “We are thrilled with the success of the appeal, which has enabled us to buy the only known collection of Bronze Age gold-work from the Cotswolds.

“We’d like to thank everyone who donated money and hope they will come to see the hoard in its new home.”

The Council’s Curator of Museums, John Paddock, said: “It is very exciting to know that this important find will be coming to the Corinium Museum soon.

“Local donations were key to securing the grant funding – we couldn’t have done it without the support of residents and visitors to the museum.”

Corinium Museum News - Archive

18th December 2006

Corinium Museum "Going For Gold" Appeal Nears £20,000 Target

A £20,000 campaign to keep a rare hoard of 3,000-year-old gold in the Cotswolds has received a double helping of good news this week.

The appeal, launched by Cirencester’s Corinium Museum, has been awarded £6,000 by the Headley Trust and £5,000 by The Arts Fund.

The grants come hot on the heels of a recent £6,000 award from the Museums Libraries Archive/VandA Purchase Grant Fund towards buying the Bronze Age gold, found on land at Poulton.

Together with the £1,200 generously donated by members of the public, the Going For Gold appeal now stands at £18,200 – just £1,800 short of its target.

The 59 pieces of gold were discovered by a metal detector enthusiast in 2004. They were declared treasure earlier this year by the coroner and may now be sold, with the proceeds being split between the landowner and the finder.

The Museum, owned by Cotswold District Council, needs to raise the full amount to buy the hoard by January 22nd, 2007.

After the appeal was launched in the Council’s newspaper, Cotswold News, and backed by the local media, residents have been calling into the museum and Council offices to make donations – ranging from loose change to £50 cheques.

The Council’s Portfolio holder for Sport and Culture, Cllr David Fowles, said: “The news of two further grants is absolutely magnificent. Our goal is in sight and hopefully, with the continued support of the public, we will be able to buy this important hoard and put it on display in the Corinium Museum next year.”

The hoard, which is thought be dated between 1300 and 1150 BC, is the only such Bronze Age gold collection to be found in the Cotswolds. It consists of chopped items and fragments of gold are thought to have been the stock of a goldsmith who buried it 3,000 years ago – either to use again or as an offering of thanks to the gods.

Collecting boxes for donations are available in reception at Cotswold District Council offices in Cirencester and Moreton-in-Marsh and at the Corinium Museum.

Cheques should be made payable to the Cotswold Museums Charitable Trust and sent to Going For Gold, The Corinium Museum, Park Street, Cirencester, GL7 2BX.

Appeal to save treasure
Cotswold residents and visitors are being urged to back a £20,000 campaign to keep a rare 3,000-year-old Bronze Age gold hoard in the District.

The 59 pieces of gold were discovered by a metal detector enthusiast on land in Poulton in 2004.

They were declared treasure earlier this year by the coroner and may now be sold, with the proceeds being split between the landowner and the finder.

Now the Corinium Museum has launched a Going For Gold appeal to buy the hoard so that it can go on show in Cirencester.

Cotswold District Council’s Curator of Museums John Paddock said: “This is a very rare and important find and we would love to be able to raise the money to keep it in the Cotswolds. If it is sold on the open market, it may go abroad and be lost from the area forever.”

The unique collection of chopped items and fragments of gold are thought to have been the stock of a goldsmith who buried it 3,000 years ago – either to use again or as an offering of thanks to the gods.

The hoard, which is thought be dated between 1300 and 1150 BC, is the only such Bronze Age gold collection to be found in the Cotswolds.

Cllr David Fowles, Portfolio holder for Leisure and Cultural Services said: “The Council will be contributing some of its own money towards the cost but we can’t do it alone.

“We’re asking the residents of the District make a donation – whatever they can afford – to help us put this special collection on permanent display at the Corinium Museum.”

Kevin Ronaldson, Chairman Friends of Corinium Museum, said the newly formed organisation was backing the fund-raising campaign. He said: ”Although we have only just launched the Friends this September, we have already attracted a lot of members and are optimistic that we can provide valuable support to the appeal.”

Collecting boxes for donations are available in reception at Cotswold District Council offices in Cirencester and Moreton-in-Marsh and at the Corinium Museum.

Cheques should be made payable to the Cotswold Museums Charitable Trust and sent to Going For Gold, The Corinium Museum, Park Street, Cirencester, GL7 2BX.

If you pay income tax or capital gains tax, the Trust can help your money go further by claiming Gift Aid of 28p for every £1 donated. We need your name, address and postcode for this – please pick up a form at Council offices or the museum, or download one from the council’s website at www.cotswold.gov.uk.