The Museum in Market Lavington is located in the Old Schoolmaster’s House, which was built in 1846 and is situated just of the churchyard.
It holds a fascinating array of items which are either on display or held in storage. These items illustrate village life which includes, people and businesses from mainly the Victorian times to the present day. There are four main areas of display in the museum with each room providing a story about a different aspect of the village. focus on different aspects of the village.
Peggy Gye founded the Museum. Two fuchsias were introduced by James Lye are named after Peggy’s grandfather, James Welch and one after her grandmother, Annie Earle.
The museum does have some items which have been donated that relate to James Lye, which includes:
- Sir Joseph Banks Medal, awarded to James Lye in relation to a fuchsia exhibit from a show in 1878 (Market Lavington Museum Blog Post, 30/09/2013)
- Potato Tercentenary Medal, awarded to James Lye in relation to a new potato in December 1886 (Market Lavington Museum Blog Post, 07/04/2010)
The Museum Blog is well worth checking out as it is informative and covers a wide range aspects of either the museum’s collections, events, businesses and live in the village of Market Lavington.
The Museum is normally open May to October, on Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank Holidays, from 2.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. Please check their blog or website for the latest opening information, before you make your visit to ensure they are open.
The Museum run by volunteers and is registered and under the guidance of the Wiltshire County Council Museum Service.