Today is day 3 and we’re making a medieval candle centrepiece using an old loo roll tube!
We’ll add a new video at 10am every morning of the week of 1st Feb to show you how to create different elements for your medieval inspired dinner party experience, all using things you might have around the house.
These videos are free, although we warmly welcome donations to our Just Giving page.
Please do share your creations with us, we’d love to see them!
Today is day 2 and we’re making a medieval inspired harp using an old cardboard box and some elastic bands!
These videos are free, although we warmly welcome donations to our Just Giving page here.
Please do share your creations with us, we’d love to see them!
Create your own Medieval Dinner Party at Home! A wonderful opportunity for the whole family to try some living history.
Today is day 1 and we’re making a medieval tunic from an old pillow case!
We’ll add a new video at 10am every morning of the week of 1st Feb to show you how to create different elements for your medieval inspired dinner party experience, all using things you might have around the house.
These videos are free, although we warmly welcome donations to our Just Giving page www.justgiving.com/winterbourne-medievalbarntrust
Please do share your creations with us, we’d love to see them!
Renovations to Winterbourne Medieval Barn were completed in March 2020, bringing much needed new facilities to update this community heritage hub.
Join Architect Steve Simkins from West Waddy ADP and Operations Manager Chris Foster from Corbel Conservation Ltd as they talk about the work undertaken and how the site has transformed.
This was filmed in the summer of 2020 in accordance with guidelines at the time.
This is the time of year we’d usually be gathering together for our ever popular annual Carols in the Barn celebrations. As we can’t physically be together this year, we’ve got the next best thing. Carols in the Barn broadcast straight into your lounge!
St Michael’s Church have been hard at work filming the carols and nativity (all within covid guidelines of course). Head over to Fromeside Churches website for more from them.
Any donations will be split between the Barn and the Church and will contribute to keeping these valuable community spaces going. If you wish to donate, please follow the link below.
A very merry Christmas to you all!
The latest lockdown has meant a bit of a reshuffling for our autumn events. See our listings below for the latest updates to the programme. We’re hoping to run these events as planned keeping in line with the latest government safety guidelines. Keep an eye on our social media pages as we wait to see how events unfold. All existing ticket holders should have been contacted and tickets remain valid for new dates. If you haven’t heard from us, please get in touch with Jasmine on jasmine.loveys@winterbournebarn.org.uk.
See here for full events listings.
Monthly Tea and Tour – Thursday 3rd December, 2pm
First Thursday afternoon of the month. Enjoy a cuppa while your hear about the history of the Barn and medieval rural society. Then have a look around the newly-refurbished West Barn and the rest of the site as well as the Medieval Barn itself. Book online here.
Talk: Magic in Medieval Communities – moved to Tues 8 December, 7pm
Dr Tabitha Stanmore explores the role magic played in medieval people’s everyday lives. This talk is available in person or as an online streamed ticket. For the in person booking link, click here. Or for the online booking link, click here.
Workshop: Christmas Fabric Wreath Making – Sat 5 December, 10am and 2pm
A twist on the traditional wreath, in this workshop create a beautiful fabric wreath for your home. Afternoon workshop added due to popular demand, only a few tickets left!
We very much hope to go ahead with this workshop in person as planned. If lockdown is extended, we will deliver materials to participants and Amy will deliver the workshop over zoom.
Family Fun: Tell Trails presents, A Medieval Christmas – moved to Sat 19 December
Family activities last around 2 hours and cost £5 per family. They are aimed at children aged 5-11 but pre-schoolers are welcome to join in. Covid regulations apply and pre-booking a timed slot is essential. Full details on the Barn website or book directly on ticketsource.
Talk: 180 Years of the Gloucestershire Constabulary – moved to Tues 30th March 2021
Sue Webb, force archivist with Glos police force, looks at the Constabulary in the historic county of Gloucestershire (which used to include South Glos). Booking link for the new date is here.
We have a range of talks, workshops, and craft activities coming up this autumn. All events are socially-distanced and must be pre-booked online. Adults are asked to wear a face-covering indoors. The new toilets are open, the site is fully accessible, and there is free car parking on site. At most events our mini cafe will be open for drinks and snacks.
Monthly Talks
Tues 10 November, 7pm – Talk: 180 Years of the Gloucestershire Constabulary
Sue Webb, force archivist with Glos police force, looks at the Constabulary in the historic county of Gloucestershire (which used to include South Glos).
Tues 1 December, 7pm – Talk: Magic in Medieval Communities
Dr Tabitha Stanmore explores the role magic played in medieval people’s everyday lives.
Tickets are £5 for all Talks. We are also live-streaming selected talks on Zoom for those who cannot get a ticket, or who do not feel happy going out and about yet. Full details and booking links (for in-person and online talks) can be found on the Barn website
Workshops
Sat 24 October 10.30am – Make your own Felt Hat from Scratch with Fi Harris
The Hatting Industry was a major employer in the Frampton-Winterbourne area in the 1700 and 1800s. Get a glimpse into what’s involved by using wet-felting techniques to turn wool fibres into felt, and then design and create your very own hat – serious or frivolous! Expert tuition and fun from Fi Harris of FELTbyFi.
Sat 5 December, 10am – Christmas Fabric Wreath workshop
There are only a few tickets left for all these workshops, so book now!
Family Fun
Halloween Spooktacular on Wed 28th October
Tell Trails – A Medieval Christmas on Sat 28 November
Family activities last around 2 hours and cost £5 per family. They are aimed at children aged 5-11 but pre-schoolers are welcome to join in. Covid regulations apply and pre-booking a timed slot is essential. Full details on the Barn website or book directly on ticketsource .
Monthly Tea and Tour
First Thursday afternoon of the month. Enjoy a cuppa while your hear about the history of the Barn and medieval rural society. Then have a look around the newly-refurbished West Barn and the rest of the site as well as the Medieval Barn itself. Book online.
Tony and Christine Harding
Our volunteer team are the heart and soul of the Barn. Without their passion, dedication, expertise, and experience, we wouldn’t be in the fortunate position we’re in today. As the building phase nears completion, we’ve been speaking to volunteers who have been involved in the project over the years to find out how the Barn has changed, and what it’s been like to volunteer here.
Our first recording is with Tony and Christine Harding who have been involved in the Barn since 2000. They talk about the evolution of the Barn and those early volunteer activities including “scrub bashing”.
We’ll publish more edited interviews over the coming weeks on this Latest News page.
Update from the Barn
The team have met to discuss COVID-19 and the impact that has on our future plans. We have made the difficult decision to postpone all of our events until the end of June 2020. The health and wellbeing of our staff, volunteers, and the community comes first and we don’t want to put anyone at a greater risk of becoming unwell. We will review the situation at the end of April when we hope to be able to start booking and confirming future event dates.
We have suspended all event ticket sales for the time being. All current ticket holders have already been contacted directly. We will be aiming to reschedule all events and tickets will remain valid for the new date. Once we’re confident we can re-open, we’ll transfer tickets and will reinstate ticket sales.
In happier news, we welcome a new member of staff, Hazel, who takes up the role of Business and Development Manager. Barn business will not grind to a halt as the team will be planning educational activities, rescheduling
We’re so looking forward to being able to properly welcome visitors to the new improved Barn site not too far in the future.
Take care of yourselves and we shall see you soon.
Best Wishes,
Jasmine
A very Happy New Year from all of us at Winterbourne Medieval Barn.
New floor in the main Barn
2020 is going to be a big year for us as we get ready to open our Barn doors once again later in the year. Our building works are due for completion in the Spring and the site is really starting to take shape.
In the Main Barn a new underfloor heating system has been laid at one end with a new floor going in on top. Aside from a clean up and a few coats of lime wash, not much else has been done in the main part of the Barn.
It’s around the rest of the site that the main striking transformations are taking place. The old cow byres are shaping up to look like wonderful artisanal workspaces. These will be available to rent from the Spring.
Inside the cow byre spaces
External view of the cow byres
Elsewhere, the old dilapidated West Barn is looking very different having been initially gutted and then split into two levels with new seminar rooms, a kitchen, and toilet facilities. New glass doors have been added on the North side to make a light and airy entrance hall.
Inside one room of the West Barn
External view of the West Barn
The interpretation corridor is now weather tight. This space links the Main and West Barn to allow people to travel between both without having the need to go out of doors. It will also contain our interpretation display about the history of the Barn and surrounding area.
Interpretation Corridor
Into the West Barn
When we re-open later this year, we’ll be back with our full programme of events including music, film, and theatre performances. We’ll be a local learning centre with schools able to visit for workshops about life in the past, as well as adult learning opportunities with the continuation of regular craft workshops, and our lecture series. The Barn and seminar rooms will be available to hire for a range of celebration events, conferences, and meetings.
Keep an eye on our social media pages for regular Barn updates. We look forward to welcoming you back at the Barn very soon!
Thanks to Ryan from Corbel Construction for the site photographs.
