Museum of London shores up summer interest in Medieval London
21 June 2005
Museum of London is offering visitors a sneak preview of our new Medieval London gallery and a rare chance to see for themselves the conservation process, as large structures, including a section of Billingsgate waterfront, are prepared for display.
The new gallery, which opens in November 2005, features many exhibits from archaeological excavations in London.
Over the summer the Museum’s conservators and technicians will be reconstructing artefacts too big to fit into our laboratories, giving visitors a glimpse of the fascinating work that normally goes on behind the scenes.
The live conservation work offers visitors an extraordinary chance to talk to those involved in preparing objects for display. It’s also a great taster of things to come, like:
- A wooden waterfront from Billingsgate
- A section of a boat from Southwark
- A large Saxon house timber
- Stone tracery from Merton Priory
- A wall painting from Hackney
The project begins with the reassembling of a waterfront revetment - a wooden structure used to reclaim land from the Thames when the medieval population threatened to outgrow London. The timbers, dating from around 1300, and recovered from the river’s north bank during excavations in the 1980s, are being treated, supported, and pieced back together.
Visitors will be able to follow this work in progress, as, with the aid of resin and paint, the muddy medieval waterfront is recreated.
Conservators will be on hand on Wednesdays between 11.30am-12.30pm and 2.30-4pm, and during the afternoon on Sundays 17 and 24 July and 7 August, to unearth the secrets behind this reclamation of the past.
Further information from:
Clea Relly
tel: 020 7814 5503
email: crelly@museumoflondon.org.uk
Fay Ross Magenty
tel: 020 7814 5511
email: fross-magenty@museumoflondon.org.uk
Notes for editors
The Museum of London is the only museum to tell the story of London from pre-historic times to the present day. Find out what Romans ate for dinner, experience the Great Fire of London, go window-shopping in our Victorian walkway and be amazed by the magnificent Lord Mayor’s coach. Admission is free.
To hear about our exciting events programme and start exploring London’s history and the histories of Londoners visit www.museumoflondon.org.uk or call 0870 444 3851.