 An archive
collection of outstanding historical importance has been saved
for Somerset thanks to help from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The Lottery has awarded a grant of £383,500 to Somerset
County Council to allow the purchase of the family and estate
papers of the Sanford family of Nynehead near Wellington. The
collection will be housed at the Somerset Record Office in
Taunton.
'The Sanfords have been at the heart of West Country
history for hundreds of years,' Tom Mayberry, Head of
Heritage, explained. 'They supplied Somerset with MPs,
justices, soldiers and administrators over many generations,
and the collection they left behind them is vast and
internationally important.'
Among the outstanding treasures of the collection are a
15th century illuminated chronology of the kings of England,
and letters of John Locke, the great English philosopher, who
was born in Somerset in 1632. There are also important papers
relating to the Monmouth Rebellion, including an order signed
by the infamous Judge Jeffreys. But perhaps of greatest
significance are the large amounts of personal correspondence
from the 16th and 17th centuries.
'The collection contains hundreds of wonderful letters,'
Tom Mayberry said. They include letters from London reporting
the illness and death of Elizabeth I, a letter from Henry
Bluett sending news of the death from plague of Will Slye, the
player in Shakespeare's company, and a very important series
of letters between Edward and Mary Clarke. Their
correspondence is full of local and domestic detail, and
brings the 17th century to life in an unforgettable way.'
Now that the collection has been acquired it will be
conserved and listed in detail, and an educational programme
will begin to make the contents of this unique archive
available to people of all ages.
'We are delighted that the Sanford papers have been secured
for Somerset,' Sam Crabb, Portfolio holder for Culture
Inclusion and Access, said. 'We are also very grateful to the
Heritage Lottery Fund for their outstanding generosity in
making the acquisition possible. The collection is a
marvellous addition to the sources of West Country history,
and has a great deal more to tell us.'
Nerys Watts, HLF Regional Manager for the South West,
comments; 'We are delighted to help safeguard the long-term
future of this fascinating collection, as well as opening up
its contents to as many people as possible. HLF is dedicated
to preserving and promoting local heritage gems, and this
project will enable everyone to explore and enjoy a wealth of
historic documents that are nationally important.'
CONTACTS
Tom Mayberry, Head of Heritage and County Archivist (01823)
278805
Janet Tall, Assistant County Archivist (01823) 278805 |
