Objects

The Museum of English Rural Life holds one of the the earliest and best surviving collections of its kind.

This includes many unique and early farm tools, objects connected with rural crafts and trades, artworks depicting rural subjects, and material that helps us to explore how life in the twentieth century English countryside has been understood and represented.

From the first object acquired when the museum was founded in 1951—a simple animal bell—to the most recent, these holdings now number almost 30,000 items. Although most of these artefacts date to between around 1850 and 1950, the collection aims to cover the period 1750 to the present day. As such it continues to grow, largely by donation.

As a result of our recent redevelopment a wider variety of objects now feature in the MERL displays than ever before. The remainder are held in stores, which visitors can browse as part of the Digging Deeper gallery. You can also explore our collection on our databases, or through the Explore section of the website.

Detail of title page of Edward Max Nicholson, Birds and Men (London: Collins, 1951)

Birds and Men

Date

1951

Object Number

MERL Lib. 1840-NIC

Michael O'Connell, Diversity of British Farming Wall-Hangings, 1951 (MERL 63/18/9).

Huge Wall-Hangings

Date

1951

Object Number

MERL 63/18/1-9

Festival of Britain thatching objects (MERL 52/82-83, 85-91, & 79/64).

Thatching tools

Date

1951

Object Number

MERL 52/82-91, 79/64

Model C17th Hertfordshire plough from Festival of Britain (MERL 52/68)

Ploughs and Progress

Date

1951

Object Number

MERL 52/65-68, 70

Festival Landscapes

Date

1951

Object Number

MERL AR SHE DO1/1/10

Front cover of Vita Sackville-West, In Your Garden (London: Michael Joseph, 1951)

In Your Garden

Date

1951

Object Number

MERL Library 4756-S

Cover of exhibition catalogue for Black Eyes and Lemonade (GREAT EXHIBITION--12/06)

Black Eyes and Lemonade

Date

1951

Object Number

Great Exh. Coll. 12

Biscuit tin, Huntley & Palmers, 1951–1952 (REDMG 1992.2.384)

Biscuit Tin

Date

1951–1952

Object Number

REDMG 1992.2.384

Cover of exhibition catalogue for The Cotswold Tradition (MERL Library 9214 COT)

Cotswold Tradition

Date

1951

Object Number

MERL Lib. 9214 COT

Pinkneys Green Women’s Institute Banner, circa 1951 (MERL 2007/48/1-2)

Women’s Institute

Date

Circa 1951

Object Number

MERL 2007/48/1-2

Image of map from Buildings of England.

Buildings Of England

Cover of Ministry of Town and Country Planning, National Parks and Access to the Countryside (London: HMSO, 1950) (MERL LIBRARY PAMPHLET 2860 BOX 07/05)

National Parks

Date

1950

Object Number

Lib. Pamph. 2860 BOX