Leominster Museum

Leominster Museum stands in the market town of Leominster in Herefordshire. It began life in 1972 as Leominster Folk Museum and is run entirely by volunteers. The building itself was once a mission hall built in 1855 for railway workers. Inside it preserves objects from the town’s past such as banknotes from the Leominster & Herefordshire Bank and early postage marks. A complete cider mill and Bronze Age burial finds from Aymestrey also form part of the collection. The museum’s displays are drawn from local history and art. It holds several works by John Scarlett Davis, born in Leominster, including an 1828 self-portrait and a book of 173 sketches bought at auction for £11,000. In 2014 it received an £8,900 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a project called ‘Rifles and Spades’. This commemorated the First World War with talks, open days and an exhibition that toured libraries and schools. Visitors find permanent displays alongside changing temporary exhibitions. Recent seasons have featured shows on Morris dancing and a local motor trader called Bill Bengry. The building on Etnam Street keeps its original mission-hall character while housing these varied collections.