Museum of Somerset now re open

The Museum of Somerset

has re opened after a major redevelopment.

It's in Taunton just behind the Castle Hotel.

I've been waiting 3 years for it to re open because it had a big collection

of Donyatt Pottery on Display.

 So you can imagine my disappointment

when the lady on reception told me it was all now in storage.

I explained I had come to see one particular plate

of the conjoined twins of Isle Brewers in 1680.

She gave me a number to ring to make an appointment to see it.

So I thought while I'm here I'll have a look around.

In the very last room I looked in

There it was on Display. 

I've been asked to make a copy of it

and I wanted to see it at first hand. 

it was smaller than I expected at about 12.5" wide.

by the time I got back to reception the lady was nowhere to be seen.

Mean while back at the workshop!

Wassail Cups and salt pigs waiting to be slipped.

I've just been told today that Barrington Court

won't be holding a wassail next year.

So maybe we will do some kind of event ourselves

on a freezing cold dark wet night in January.

and a trial run on a large bowl for the village church.

this measures 19" wide and was 14lbs of clay.

it needs to be 24" wide, so I'm going to try again with 16lbs of clay.

this shot gives you a perspective on the size

as the bowl in the background is 16" wide

made from 6.5lbs of clay.