News and Views

Discover stories from our collections, work, research, and events. Warning: may contain absolute units.

gamekeepers enjoying a picnic
Author
madeleineding
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Published Date
July 8, 2019

Time to Picnic: Top 10 tips from The MERL

Do you enjoy going on a picnic? They are a great way to get outside and enjoy the countryside. Here are some tips from The MERL collection.

Author
ehunt
/
Published Date
July 8, 2019

How do you give medicine to a horse?

Explore several of the fascinating objects that The Museum of English Rural Life collected throughout June 2019.

two people playing the interactive game in the Our COuntry Lives gallery at The MERL
Author
Alison Hilton
/
Published Date
June 18, 2019

Aus Deutschland zu Besuch?

Aus Deutschland zu Besuch? Einige kurze Blogposts über das MERL, die von Germanistikstudierenden an der Universität Reading geschrieben wurden.

Exterior of a greenhouse at the Sidlesham Land Settlement Association
Author
/
Published Date
May 14, 2019

From Miners to Market Gardeners: the Story of the Sidlesham Land Settlement Association

Guest blogger Bill Martin explores the history of the Land Settlement Association at Sindlesham. The LSA archive is held at The MERL.

Laying drainage tiles (MERL P 3FW PH2/680/3)
Author
josefinabravo
/
Published Date
April 8, 2019

What lies beneath?

Anthropologist Paul Trawick delves into the role of field drains on English farms, and the ingenious role they play in how we farm.

Close up of the label on a jar of Absolute Unit Mint Jelly, featuring famous twitter image of the ram from the MERL archive
Author
Alison Hilton
/
Published Date
April 5, 2019

The Jam Lady – Keeping Jam Relevant

Sarah Roy, The Jam Lady, writes about jam-making as she launches her new Absolute Unit Mint Jelly an exclusive product now for sale in The MERL shop

Author
fionamelhuish
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Published Date
March 8, 2019

How to be rural: pop-up exhibition on Thomas Tusser and agricultural instruction

Bone shaker bicycle featured image for Get out into the Countryside blog
Author
madeleineding
/
Published Date
March 8, 2019

Get out … into the countryside

Have you noticed that the days are staying lighter for longer? Is spring just around the corner? Do you want to get out into the countryside?

A bat being held in a white gloved hand.
Author
josefinabravo
/
Published Date
February 24, 2019

So we found a live bat in our archive