Alfred Gillett Trust What’s On
Ice Rink at the Grange
Get your skates on with Clarks Village at the Grange this Christmas!
We’re welcoming our friends at Clarks Village with their very first ice rink this winter! Open from Tuesday 15th November until Monday 2nd January, guests will be able to enjoy the 550m2 covered rink for seven weeks during the run-up to the festive season.
Featuring real ice, the custom-built rink will be set within the stunning grounds of our historic site – a captivating setting that’s perfect for anyone who wants to soak up the festive atmosphere. Enjoy a spot of Christmas shopping; then take to the ice and skate to your heart’s content!
How to book?
Bookings are now open!
Skating slots are expected to be popular, so pre-book your 45-minute session now to avoid disappointment.
Book now >>
Vaccination Centre at the Grange
The vaccination centre is open 7-days per week up until Sunday 20 November.
From Monday 21 November, the centre will not be open on a Tuesday and Thursday.
From week commencing Monday 28 November, the centre will not be open on a Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.
The current final date for the vaccination centre is Saturday 10 December 2022.
Opening hours will be Monday to Sunday (with above exclusions, 9am until 5pm (4pm on a Sunday).
The centre is accepting walk-ins.
The Grange is the venue for this centre on behalf of the NHS. Unfortunately, Alfred Gillett Trust are unable to offer any vaccination advice. All enquiries about vaccinations should be directed to the NHS.
Wassail 2023
Past Exhibitions & Events
Heritage Open Days 2022 saw the Grange open our doors to celebrate the Astounding Invention that is the Latin Verse Machine.
- Friday 22nd July: Tales from 1001 Arabian Nights by Taunton Thespians
- Saturday 23rd July: NHS Vaccination Centre
- Open from 10am until 5pm
- Prioritising vaccines for 5-18 year olds
- Other vaccinations will be available
- Access opposite the restaurant terrace for Clarks Village
- This activity is being run by the NHS and any enquiries about vaccinations should be directed to them. Any enquiries about the venue can come via the Trust
Thursday 7 July: Street Chamber of Commerce Recruitment Fair
Thursday 2nd June: Whispering Willows outdoor theatre performance by Wassail Theatre
Following the ‘Magic Steps’ of the Clarks Point of Sale collection
Our Assistant Curator, Karina Virahsawmy, has worked on the Point of Sale collection from the beginning of her AGT journey. Let her take you through the ‘Magic Steps’ of cataloguing and digitising such a unique and large collection; showcasing prominent artists and photographers, well known Clarks shoe ranges, and firm family favourites.
Wooden Wonders
Take a trip around the world and throughout history to discover how the seemingly ordinary material of wood has been used to create extraordinary footwear with Rebecca Wormald. Furthermore, uncover how wooden soled footwear have inspired some, at times, unusual traditions.
Clarks of Street, Family, Company and Community 1725 – 2005
Join Dr. Tim Crumplin as he charts the origins of the Clark family and their beginnings in Street during the 18th century, this talk will concentrate on the commercial and social influences the Quaker business of C. & J. Clark had upon the town and its locality from the time of its founding (by brothers Cyrus and James Clark) in 1825, and through successive generations, to the start of the 21st century.
Eureka, the Victorian Automaton that creates poetry
The Latina Verse Machine, Eureka to her friends, is a one of a kind impressive feat of engineering, maths, poetry and sheer hard work and dedication by its inventor, John Clark.
This National Poetry Day, find out what inspired John Clark to create such a unique automaton and take a look at whether or not the poetry it created could hold its own with poetry of its day.
Footwear in Focus
Over the last 7 years the Alfred Gillett Trust has been working to digitise its collection of over 25000 shoes, sandals, boots, slippers, clogs and other footwear, producing an archive of high-quality digital images. The collection is hugely diverse, ranging in date from the Roman period right up to the present day, and features the work of many different designers and manufacturers. For historical reasons, these objects have not always had the best of care; accordingly, the digitisation work has been integrated into a multidisciplinary project to assess, treat, redocument and rehouse the objects in line with current museum practice. Although the project is still under way, the Trust is very pleased with the work we have produced so far and want to share it. Please join Will Punter and Kieron Cheek as they present this short overview of some of the highlights and challenges they have encountered in working with this unique and fascinating collection.
| 8 March | Event: International Women’s Day |
| 19 January 2020 | Event: Traditional Somerset Wassail |
| 28 Oct – 2 Nov 2019 | Exhibition: Sea Dragons of Street |
| 01-23 Oct | Exhibition: War without glamour: The Life and Legacy of Emily Hobhouse’s Peace Activism |
| 16-20 Sep | Heritage Open Days Tour: Grange Tours (pre-bookable) |
| 6 – 9 Aug 2019 | Arts and Crafts: The World Comes to Street Community Art Project |
| 7 Jun 2019 | Performance: Library of Lost Memories – The Shoebox Theatre |
| 4-18 May 2019 | Installation art: Wildedges |
| 4-18 May 2019 | Exhibition: Street Arts Trail (various venues) |
| 1-6 April 2019 | Exhibition: Sea Dragons of Street |
| 8 Mar 2019 | Secrets of the Blue Stockings (International Women’s Day) |
| 29 Oct – 3 Nov 2018 | “Sea Dragons of Street” Fossil Exhibition |
| 29 Oct – 3 Nov 2018 | “Sea Dragons of Street” Half term Kid’s Craft Activities |
| 6-16 Sep 2018 | “Extraordinary Women” Archive Exhibition (Heritage Open Days) |
| 6-16 Sep 2018 | “Footwear in Focus” Photography Exhibition (Heritage Open Days) |
| 16 Aug 2018 | Twilight Talk: Wooden Wonders: Footwear Through The Ages |
| 9-12 Aug 2018 | Strode @ the Grange (Outdoor Cinema) |
| 12 Jul 2018 | Twilight Talk: Clarks of Street: Family, Company and Community 1723-2005 |
| 14 Jun 2018 | Twilight Talk: Treading Carefully – Digitising and Preserving Historic Footwear |
| 11 May 2018 | Somerset Day |
| 11 May 2018 | To Stand and Stare: A Somerset Landscape |
| 11-13 May 2018 | Wildedges |
| 12 Apr 2018 | Twilight Talk: Eureka! The Victorian Automaton That Creates Poetry |
| 15 Mar 2018 | Twilight Talk: The Magic Steps of Clarks Point of Sale Collection: 1851 to the Present |
| 19-24 Feb 2018 | Sea Dragons of Street |
| 2 Nov 2017 | 100 Years Since Women Got The Vote |
| 23-30 Sep 2017 | ‘Lasts’ Art Installation – Somerset Art Weeks |
| 23-30 Sep 2017 | ‘Golden Bough’ Art Installation – Somerset Art Weeks |
| 7-10 Sep 2017 | Heritage Open Days: Sea Dragons of Street exhibition |
| 30 Jul 2017 | Strode @ the Grange Outdoor Cinema: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (12A) |
| 29 Jul 2017 | Strode @ the Grange Outdoor Cinema: Jurassic Park (PG) |
| 28 Jul 2017 | Strode @ the Grange Outdoor Cinema: Mamma Mia! (PG) |
| 1 Jun 2017 | “Surely You Would Be Happier Being a Nurse?” (International Women’s Day) |
| 6 Apr 2017 | “Feminism, Goddess Spirituality and Motherworld” (International Women’s Day) |
| 7-11 Mar 2017 | International Women’s Day |
Alfred Gillett Trust 