50:
364:
in 2009. Since then the scope has broadened to cover historic texts about the town in books and articles. These have been digitised in A4 format, and are PDF documents so that readers can download and print them for further study. Original historical research is included. The goal has been to create an educational resource for the town, of value not only for local historians, but also for school pupils and college students.
29:
57:
375:
Because of the
Coronavirus crisis, the Blake Museum closed to the public on 20 March, with the rest of the town council's public buildings. On 31 March the museum launched a Facebook Group called Bridgwater History. The aim of this group was to help fill the void while the museum was closed. By the
363:
The Blake Museum works closely with the
Bridgwater Heritage Group, which was established in 2012 by the late Dr Peter Cattermole to publish detailed illustrated accounts online of the town's lost buildings. Dr Cattermole was the museum's first Honorary Curator after its return to the town council,
343:. In 2012, the museum restored and put on display the Spaxton Mosaic. The collection also includes items of women's garments dating from the 19th century, an extensive photographic collection, maritime and transport heritage items, brick, tile and textile items, and a
313:
The collection includes materials relating to Blake's life. Although it is commonly used, Robert Blake's name was never prefixed by "Admiral", which was not used in the
Parliamentarian navy; his actual rank of General at Sea combined the role of an Admiral and
617:
318:. Notable features of the museum include Blake's sea chest. The museum also illustrates Bridgwater's mercantile and marine past and includes important local historical events such as the
639:
332:
766:
831:
310:, which ran the museum until 2009, when it could no longer afford to do so: the museum was then returned to the ownership of the town council.
463:
376:
end of
October, it had over 3,400 members and is growing. It is a Private Group, devoted entirely to Bridgwater's history, and nothing else.
866:
547:
871:
841:
826:
569:
856:
428:
397:
339:
There is also a small collection of agricultural machinery and tools, and dairy equipment, a group of coins found in the bank of
179:
98:
677:
647:
525:
851:
485:
315:
846:
433:
402:
49:
282:
The museum was founded in 1926 by
Bridgwater Borough Council, and its collecting area covered from East and West
215:
with help from the
Friends of Blake Museum. It has been an Accredited Museum since 2006. It is next door to the
274:. In the mid C19 the building was occupied by George Parker (1796–1888) Customs Officer, historian and author.
758:
330:
as well as the 20th century. The museum possesses a very full archive of cuttings from the local newspaper,
322:. As well as a diorama of the Battle of Sedgemoor, the new Battle gallery covers conflicts from the time of
836:
821:
91:
340:
507:
149:
455:
212:
731:
303:
228:
208:
595:
216:
351:(1746–1818). In 2004 the Museum purchased the art and manuscripts of Chubb, for £123.000.
8:
861:
348:
801:
573:
354:
The museum also had an association with
Channel 4's archaeological television programme
669:
344:
319:
240:
327:
259:
brickwork. Some of the ceilings are original including one of six panels divided by
424:
393:
232:
256:
252:
231:. It was built in the late 15th or early 16th century, and has been designated by
236:
815:
299:
113:
100:
367:
The museum's 90th birthday in 2016 was celebrated by a special exhibition.
295:
323:
806:
796:
347:
archive. The museum houses the archive of the work of the local artist
287:
200:
80:
36:
791:
698:
134:
356:
307:
283:
244:
219:, and there are plans to develop this as an extension of the museum.
710:
736:
248:
204:
84:
65:
291:
264:
260:
271:
267:
in the middle of each panel. One of the fireplaces has a Tudor
28:
306:. In 1974, the assets of the borough council were absorbed by
618:"List of the Chubb MSS in the Archive Office, Taunton A/CSC"
526:"Blake Museum, Bridgwater, World War I Newspaper Cuttings"
268:
207:, England at what is believed to be the birthplace of
423:
392:
302:in the West. This was the area of the Bridgwater
227:The building is believed to be the birthplace of
813:
596:"Chubb Lithographs of 18th. Century Bridgwater"
572:. Sedgemoor District Council. Archived from
222:
27:
486:"Blake Museum contracts to be exchanged"
336:, for every week of the war, 1914–1918.
209:Robert Blake, General at Sea (1598–1657)
832:Grade II* listed buildings in Sedgemoor
814:
211:. Since April 2009 it has been run by
732:"Facebook Group: Bridgwater History"
429:"The Admiral Blake Museum (1205363)"
398:"The Admiral Blake Museum (1205363)"
56:
867:Grade II* listed houses in Somerset
550:. Bridgwater Mercury. 12 April 2012
13:
680:from the original on 26 March 2016
466:from the original on 3 August 2020
434:National Heritage List for England
403:National Heritage List for England
14:
883:
872:Grade II* listed museum buildings
842:Archaeological museums in England
785:
488:. Bridgwater Mercury. 28 May 2009
277:
827:Biographical museums in Somerset
769:from the original on 14 May 2020
370:
55:
48:
751:
724:
703:
692:
662:
632:
610:
570:"Blake Museum- The collections"
857:1926 establishments in England
588:
562:
540:
518:
500:
478:
448:
417:
386:
1:
802:Museums in Sedgemoor District
670:"Dr Peter Cattermole tribute"
379:
16:Museum in Bridgwater, England
229:Robert Blake, General at Sea
7:
852:Museums established in 1926
598:. Bridgwater Heritage Group
10:
888:
308:Sedgemoor District Council
847:Local museums in Somerset
807:Bridgwater Heritage Group
711:"History of Blake Museum"
699:Bridgwater Heritage Group
674:Bridgwater Heritage Group
548:"Spaxton Mosaic revealed"
460:Bridgwater Heritage Group
189:
185:
175:
167:
157:
147:
129:
90:
76:
43:
26:
316:Commissioner of the Navy
797:Friends of Blake Museum
763:Bridgwater Town Council
239:. The three-storey two-
223:History of the building
213:Bridgwater Town Council
759:"Blake Museum closure"
341:King's Sedgemoor Drain
333:The Bridgwater Mercury
304:Rural District Council
298:in the East to beyond
290:in the South and from
243:structure is built of
620:. Bridgwater Heritage
512:Westminster-abbey.org
217:Bridgwater Town Mill
162:Admiral Blake Museum
837:History of Somerset
822:Museums in Somerset
110: /
33:The Blake Museum at
23:
650:on 7 December 2006
345:Monmouth rebellion
320:Battle of Sedgmoor
176:Reference no.
114:51.1271°N 3.0014°W
21:
328:English Civil War
251:and a mixture of
193:
192:
137:.bridgwatermuseum
879:
779:
778:
776:
774:
755:
749:
748:
746:
744:
728:
722:
721:
719:
717:
707:
701:
696:
690:
689:
687:
685:
666:
660:
659:
657:
655:
646:. Archived from
636:
630:
629:
627:
625:
614:
608:
607:
605:
603:
592:
586:
585:
583:
581:
576:on 23 April 2008
566:
560:
559:
557:
555:
544:
538:
537:
535:
533:
522:
516:
515:
504:
498:
497:
495:
493:
482:
476:
475:
473:
471:
452:
446:
445:
443:
441:
425:Historic England
421:
415:
414:
412:
410:
394:Historic England
390:
286:in the North to
233:English Heritage
143:
140:
138:
136:
125:
124:
122:
121:
120:
119:51.1271; -3.0014
115:
111:
108:
107:
106:
103:
64:Location within
59:
58:
52:
35:5 Blake Street,
31:
24:
20:
887:
886:
882:
881:
880:
878:
877:
876:
812:
811:
788:
783:
782:
772:
770:
757:
756:
752:
742:
740:
730:
729:
725:
715:
713:
709:
708:
704:
697:
693:
683:
681:
668:
667:
663:
653:
651:
638:
637:
633:
623:
621:
616:
615:
611:
601:
599:
594:
593:
589:
579:
577:
568:
567:
563:
553:
551:
546:
545:
541:
531:
529:
524:
523:
519:
506:
505:
501:
491:
489:
484:
483:
479:
469:
467:
456:"George Parker"
454:
453:
449:
439:
437:
422:
418:
408:
406:
391:
387:
382:
373:
280:
237:listed building
235:as a grade II*
225:
153:
150:Listed Building
133:
118:
116:
112:
109:
104:
101:
99:
97:
96:
72:
71:
70:
69:
62:
61:
60:
39:
34:
17:
12:
11:
5:
885:
875:
874:
869:
864:
859:
854:
849:
844:
839:
834:
829:
824:
810:
809:
804:
799:
794:
787:
786:External links
784:
781:
780:
765:. 2 May 2020.
750:
723:
702:
691:
661:
644:Bridgwater.net
640:"Blake Museum"
631:
609:
587:
561:
539:
528:. Blake Museum
517:
508:"Robert Blake"
499:
477:
447:
416:
384:
383:
381:
378:
372:
369:
279:
278:The collection
276:
224:
221:
191:
190:
187:
186:
183:
182:
177:
173:
172:
169:
165:
164:
159:
155:
154:
148:
145:
144:
131:
127:
126:
94:
88:
87:
78:
74:
73:
63:
54:
53:
47:
46:
45:
44:
41:
40:
32:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
884:
873:
870:
868:
865:
863:
860:
858:
855:
853:
850:
848:
845:
843:
840:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
823:
820:
819:
817:
808:
805:
803:
800:
798:
795:
793:
790:
789:
768:
764:
760:
754:
739:
738:
733:
727:
712:
706:
700:
695:
679:
675:
671:
665:
649:
645:
641:
635:
619:
613:
597:
591:
575:
571:
565:
549:
543:
527:
521:
513:
509:
503:
487:
481:
465:
461:
457:
451:
436:
435:
430:
426:
420:
405:
404:
399:
395:
389:
385:
377:
371:Opening times
368:
365:
361:
359:
358:
352:
350:
346:
342:
337:
335:
334:
329:
325:
321:
317:
311:
309:
305:
301:
300:Nether Stowey
297:
293:
289:
285:
275:
273:
270:
266:
262:
258:
254:
250:
246:
242:
238:
234:
230:
220:
218:
214:
210:
206:
202:
198:
188:
184:
181:
178:
174:
171:24 March 1950
170:
166:
163:
160:
158:Official name
156:
151:
146:
142:
132:
128:
123:
95:
93:
89:
86:
82:
79:
75:
67:
51:
42:
38:
30:
25:
19:
792:Blake Museum
771:. Retrieved
762:
753:
741:. Retrieved
735:
726:
714:. Retrieved
705:
694:
682:. Retrieved
673:
664:
652:. Retrieved
648:the original
643:
634:
622:. Retrieved
612:
600:. Retrieved
590:
578:. Retrieved
574:the original
564:
552:. Retrieved
542:
530:. Retrieved
520:
511:
502:
490:. Retrieved
480:
468:. Retrieved
459:
450:
438:. Retrieved
432:
419:
407:. Retrieved
401:
388:
374:
366:
362:
355:
353:
338:
331:
312:
296:Burrowbridge
281:
263:beams and a
257:Flemish bond
253:English-bond
226:
197:Blake Museum
196:
194:
161:
22:Blake Museum
18:
624:3 September
324:King Alfred
152:– Grade II*
117: /
92:Coordinates
68:and England
862:Bridgwater
816:Categories
654:27 October
602:18 January
580:10 October
409:30 October
380:References
349:John Chubb
288:Thurloxton
247:with some
201:Bridgwater
168:Designated
102:51°07′38″N
81:Bridgwater
37:Bridgwater
440:3 October
357:Time Team
284:Huntspill
261:chamfered
245:limestone
105:3°00′05″W
767:Archived
737:Facebook
716:30 April
678:Archived
554:17 April
532:27 March
492:27 March
464:Archived
249:hamstone
205:Somerset
85:Somerset
77:Location
66:Somerset
292:Ashcott
265:roundel
180:1205363
130:Website
326:, the
272:lintel
199:is in
773:5 May
743:5 May
684:5 May
470:5 May
775:2020
745:2020
718:2016
686:2020
656:2007
626:2024
604:2018
582:2008
556:2012
534:2021
494:2021
472:2020
442:2016
411:2007
294:and
255:and
195:The
139:.org
269:oak
241:bay
141:.uk
135:www
818::
761:.
734:.
676:.
672:.
642:.
510:.
462:.
458:.
431:.
427:.
400:.
396:.
360:.
203:,
83:,
777:.
747:.
720:.
688:.
658:.
628:.
606:.
584:.
558:.
536:.
514:.
496:.
474:.
444:.
413:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.