Further Afield update blog – August 2024
Read the latest update from our Further Afield project, exploring how we can embrace and invite new perspectives within our interpretation.
Further Afield update blog – May 2024
Read our latest update on the Further Afield project, which trials new approaches to co-curation with community groups.
The Power to Tell It for Ourselves
Acquisition, cataloguing and display are vital matters of consent. Learn how we’re evolving our approach throughout our work.
Community Gardening: Sow What?
Our latest community project explored how gardening and cooperation benefit wellbeing.
Cattle, colonialism, and conversations about land
MERL Curator, Dr Ollie Douglas explores connections between The MERL and British agricultural influence in East Africa following a trip to Kenya and Tanzania last year.
Glow Up! St Andrew’s Staircase Hall Redevelopment Project
For the first time in twenty years, St Andrew’s Hall has been presented anew. Visitors – including University staff, students and the general public – can now discover books, archives and artworks from the Museum of English Rural Life’s Library and Archive, Special Collections and University Art Collections.
Ploughs and Ploughing: some reflections from the headland
On Plough Monday, MERL Curator, Dr Ollie Douglas, discusses his appearance on Radio 4 Farming Today’s special programme on ploughing, and the MERL’s collection of ploughs.
Advising the Nation: the MAFF bulletins
As the project to catalogue The MERL’s collection of bulletins published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is completed, Collections Librarian, Claudia Ricci explores the history and significance of the publications.
Yule never baa-lieve it: a case for the Yule Goat at Christmas
The MERL’s Collections Researcher, Tim Jerrome investigates pagan influence on Christmas traditions, and asks why we don’t include the Yule Goat in our celebrations in England.
The MERL is going Further Afield
Collections Researcher Tim Jerrome introduces our newest project at The MERL, Further Afield, which trials new approaches to community driven museum outputs, working with groups who have been historically underrepresented in the countryside.