Collection: Allhallows Museum

Collection-level records:

• Collection overview (Cornucopia)

  Archaeology Collection

  There are local prehistoric finds, including some bronze age bronze implements.

  Subjects

  Archaeology

  Costume and Textile Collection

  The lace industry is described under the science and industry heading.

  Subjects

  Costume and Textile

  Social History Collection

  The museum holds the borough seal; artefacts relating to local dairy; children’s toys, dolls and a dolls house; local schools, especially Allhallows; a grandfather clock with only one hand; and the Awliscombe stocks. The museum has a penny farthing bicycle. There is World War memorabilia and three models of wartime aircraft including a Spitfire. Joseph Kennedy, elder brother of John F Kennedy, trained at a local military airfield and was killed over England in 1944 while on a mission to Germany. There is also the case of a German 220kg bomb dropped on the area during the War.

  Subjects

  Social History

  Geology Collection

  The fossil collection discovered in the rocks near Honiton, includes fossil sea urchins, ammonites, and the teeth of fish and sharks. There are also 100,000-year-old hippopotamus bones found beneath the line of the Honiton bypass in the 1960s.

  Subjects

  Geology

  Science and Industry Collection

  Honiton lace is well known nationally and internationally and this industry is a major feature of the museum. With origins stretching back more than four centuries, the lace industry flourished using out-workers and at one time in the late 17th century employed half the population. Honiton produced very fine lace and its popularity ensured the success of the industry, which also spread to surrounding towns and villages. Honiton lace has provided Queen Victoria’s wedding veil and the Christening robe for Elizabeth II’s children. There is an extensive collection of Honiton lace in the museum including examples dating from 163o onwards. There are also lace making tools. Pottery has been made in Honiton at least since the 17th century. The town also prepared whetstones using stone mined in the Blackdown Hills. Clockmaking is represented by the Murch family business, the museum has some of their tools and an example of a long-case clock. The Honiton Ironworks is represented by some of its products, such as a mangle and a farm feeding trough.

  Subjects

  Science and Industry

  Photographic Collection

  This is a small collection of photographs of local interest.

  Subjects

  Photography

  Other

  Agriculture; Archives; Fine Art; Medals; Medicine; Numismatics

  Source: Cornucopia

  Date: Not known, but before 2015

  Licence: CC BY-NC