after her coronation in 1837? Have a parliamentary meeting? Have tea with all the royal dignitaries? No – she gave her dog, Dash, a bath.
The Thing About Things was a creative writing course inspired by The Judge’s Lodging and the objects in its collection. Participants were local people weathering lockdown during the pandemic. The course was their invitation to get behind the scenes of the museum, to learn more about its collection and the history of Presteigne, and to develop their skill as writers and poets. Some of the work they produced was a response to talks from the museum’s curator, to rooms in the museum, and to the paintings and objects they saw there.
Now the writing has been beautifully incorporated into the period rooms of The Judge’s Lodging on textiles, for visitors to discover as they wander the building. The autumn light and the flickering gas lights make this a perfect time to explore the work.
The Thing About Things was a collaboration between Open Ground Writing, Presteigne’s Judge’s Lodging and Presteigne Festival of Music and the Arts.
Writing from The Thing About Things will be on display throughout October 2021