News and Views

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

HJ for Hannah James written on the sole of new dancing clogs lying on their side on the stage at the MERL Annual Lecture
Author
Alison Hilton
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Published Date
December 5, 2018

‘Muscle Memory: the story of a pair of clogs’ by Hannah James

Find out about the clogs made for Hannah James and watch her performance of Muscle Memory, a new work for the MERL Annual Lecture on intangible heritage

Author
ehunt
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Published Date
December 4, 2018

Revealing the Concealed: English Folk Culture and Superstition

As part of The Museum of English Rural Life’s Folk season, find out more about the historical role of superstition and protection in English Folk culture.

Jan and Ron Butler with their distinguished volunteer award in the garden at the MERL
Author
sheilafisher
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Published Date
November 19, 2018

Volunteer retires after 23 years at The MERL

The Museum of English Rural Life thanks volunteer Ron Butler as he retires after 23 years and receives University of Reading Distinguished Volunteer award.

Colour illustration of two chickens in front of a canal and windmill
Author
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Published Date
November 11, 2018

The chicken and the egg: the David Scrivener Collection

Thanks to The Poultry Club of Great Britain we have acquired the unique archive and library gathered by author and poultry show judge David Scrivener.

Author
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Published Date
October 25, 2018

10 Reasons You Should Adopt an Archive Box

We’re crowdfunding to buy archive preservation materials for our at-risk Farmers Weekly photographs. You can help us by adopting an archive box!

Author
heathercraddock
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Published Date
October 24, 2018

The Outside In: A Q&A with Steven Claydon on The MERL

Steven Claydon is interviewed by Naomi Lebens about the Museum of English Rural Life as a venue for his new Reading International exhibition, The Outside In

clogs and clog lasts lined up on a window ledge against a dusty window
Author
Alison Hilton
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Published Date
October 10, 2018

Stepping out of time with Hannah James at The MERL Annual Lecture

Repeated images of a postage stamp depicting a chicken wearing trousers on a shield, with the title 'HENSBROEK', a town in the Netherlands.
Author
josefinabravo
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Published Date
October 9, 2018

Why is a chicken wearing trousers?

Richard Beale’s viral chicken in trousers is unusual, but could have been inspired by a number of things (including a small Dutch town). Discover more!

Author
josefinabravo
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Published Date
October 8, 2018

Chicken in trousers? What’s next – a cow wearing wellies?

The Museum of English Rural Life went viral with a chicken wearing trousers, but what about other clothed animals in the countryside? Let us tell you.