Anatomy of a display - the Anglo Saxon Cross Shaft

Object: stone cross

History: It stood in Wakefield’s market place (where the Bull Ring is today) from the 800s until the late 1500s when it disappeared. It was rediscovered in the 1860s being used as a step outside a butchers shop on Westgate. The shop was to be demolished to make way for Unity Hall when Charles Waterton’s son Edmund found it and moved it to the grounds of Walton Hall.

Display style: The cross was a landmark in the centre of Wakefield and probably used for preaching and a place to meet.

We wanted it to act as a landmark in the displays marking the beginning of the Wakefield Stories gallery and acting as a signpost between the Local Studies Library and the museum. It also signposts part of our approach to the new museum. Visitors are encouraged to ‘meet the people’ of Wakefield by exploring the stories of some residents, or start their own stories and learn about new characters in the Local Studies Library.

The big challenge was to show it as it looked when it was first made - a towering, colourful landmark.  This is what we came up with...



The cross was displayed at Wakefield Museum on Wood Street from 1979.

For the new display we wanted to show how large and impressive the cross was before it was broken. Wakefield Its History and People by JW Walker had a very useful illustration which inspired our display.



Walker's illustrations were used to computer-generate images of how the cross might look on display.

The surviving piece of stone is very heavy, and displaying it above floor level was quite a challenge. Our fit out team built a large platform to support both the stone and the people lifting it into position.

Hidden supports built into the ‘new’ parts of the cross hold the stone in place.

The cross was originally painted. Our scenic artist Rick decorated and then painted the ‘new’ sections of our cross in colours which were used and available to the Anglo Saxon people of Wachenfeld. Mainly red and yellow ochres (earth colours) with a dash of more expensive pigments.

Local illustrator Richard Bell popped in and sketched Rick painting the cross.  See Richard's own blog to see what he made of it!

Computer generated illustration of how the cross might look as a landmark behind our entrance board.




The cross proudly stands in Wakefield Museum and signposts the entrance to the Wakefield Stories gallery and Local Studies Library.

Food For All Seasons

On Wednesday we had a good audience for the official opening of Wakefield Museum's new temporary exhibition - Food For All Seasons.

The exhibition uses documentary evidence to explore the seasonal availability of food in 14th century Wakefield - and compares it to what is available now. Looking at food shortages, and their effects on the body, medieval farming, storage and feasting, the exhibition is full of stunning medieval images and exciting objects - even including a reconstruction of the Sandal Castle larder!

In particular, for the first time, the exhibition brings together on display loans of documents including the Wakefield Manor Court Rolls, Graves' Accounts and a beautifully illuminated Book of Hours.

The 'Summer' section of the exhibition - exploring medieval farming and displaying tools from Sandal Castle

The 'Winter' section looks at feasting, and displays a range of medieval tableware from Sandal Castle

Medieval documents are 'brought to life' by a pair of talking heads

The exhibition displays some beautiful medieval objects

Visitors were entertained by medieval musician, Peter Bull - here seen playing the hammered dulcimer.

Medieval music at the entrance of the exhibition

The exhibition also includes seasonal recipe cards to take away - including a medieval recipe, and a medieval-inspired recipe from Create Cafe.  Visitors to the opening were treated to samples of Create's recipes in the cafe - and very popular they were too!

Visitors enjoying the medieval-inspired recipes from Create

Food For All Seasons is the third exhibition from You Are What You Ate: Food Lessons From the Past - a project run in partnership between the University of Leeds, the University of Bradford and Wakefield Council, funded by a Wellcome Trust Society Award.  The exhibition runs until the 29th September.

The project includes free talks, workshops and activities.  For information of forthcoming events, see the project website.

A Very Special Visit

Just to quickly share some photos of yesterday's event that were posted on Twitter.  If you took any photos/videos, we would love to see them!

The council's Chief Executive, Joanne Roney, was filmed talking to Sir David Attenborough over lunch.  You can see the film here.

Sir David Attenborough was shown around the museum by our curator, John Whitaker

Sir David Attenborough officially opens the museum

Sir David talked about eccentricity of Charles Waterton

We were delighted that Sir David took the time to sign so many autographs

Sir David with Councillor David Dagger

Sir David met a friendly crocodile!

Sir David was interviewed for BBC Look North

Dancing caimans mingled with the crowds!

Wakefield Museum - The Official Opening

We are all getting ready for our official opening on Saturday. It’s going to be a day to remember.

The public events kick off at 12:30. There will be music and dancing, fun craft activities and… oh yeah… National Treasure and Charles Waterton Enthusiast Sir David Attenborough will be helping us celebrate by drawing the curtain at 1:20pm! We are privileged to have him attend and it is a fitting way to crown a new museum that we are very proud of.

Sir David will also attend a short book signing after the opening ceremony.

Sir David Attenborough will be officially opening Wakefield Museum this Saturday

We hope you can come along!

The Museum Team

Sorting the liquorice collection

The museum collections contain many hundreds of objects associated with the liquorice industry in Pontefract. 

Liquorice has been grown there since the Middle Ages by monks for medicinal reasons. Later factories such as Bassetts and Dunhills flourished, using imported liquorice to make sweets.  Find out more about the history of liquorice by clicking here.

Work experience placement, Sarah, surrounded by liquorice objects

Sarah is spending her work experience placement with Museums to sort and photograph the collection. The results will be used to improve the museum database in preparation for putting the images on the web in the future, so liquorice fanatics the world over can explore our collections!

Once upon a time Pomfret cakes were only made in Pontefract. Although this is no longer the case some are still nonetheless manufactured in the town itself and visitors can still catch that sweet smell on the air.

To mark the importance of liquorice to the town there is an annual Liquorice Festival with all sorts of events taking place and a rare opportunity to buy a liquorice plant of your own.  

Half Term Fun!

We have been delivering some fun holiday sessions to children aged 2 – 12 this half term.  

Dressing up in hats and wigs - who will you be?

Children have asked questions, thought about, crafted and been creative on themes such as the weather, medieval life and Waterton's wonderful animals.  Session have been delivered at both Sandal and Pontefract Castles, Pontefract Museum and the new Wakefield Museum in Wakefield One.

Waterton's eye-view of the Caiman Crocodile!

Sessions for the Easter holidays are already being developed by the team.  If you would like to be added to our e-mailing list for future notification of activities and events let the team know.

Creative fun!

Concentrating hard!

Imagining life in the past

It's never too early to visit a museum...

It’s never too early to visit a museum…        This is part of Kids in Museums manifesto, a charity dedicated to making museums open and welcoming to all families and is exactly what we are aiming to achieve ourselves. Our learning team run free activities throughout the year and are especially busy coming up to school holidays with themed craft activities for ages 2- 5s and 6-12s.  These sessions are great fun but you don’t have to be booked into a workshop to enjoy the museum with your younger children.

Hector in The Front Room - time to get creative!

The new galleries have been designed for everyone to find something that interests them – whether that’s a table full of colouring pencils or an opportunity to get close up to boa constrictor! 

Up close to a boa constrictor

The display cases, full of new and exciting things, are at just the right height for little to people to explore and there is a mixture of objects especially meant for touching and feeling within easy reach.   There’s also plenty of opportunity for creative play with our newly installed kitchen and two different areas for dressing up with mirrors.  Activity sheets and trails are available in the Front Room - and ask our Visitor Hosts for information on our new digitrails.

Hector has found the caiman!

Why not combine your visit with a trip to the new Children’s library located on the first floor and then finish it off with a well-deserved treat in Create Cafe, who have a lovely children's menu and new lunch box offer.

On a practical level Wakefield One is fully accessible to buggies with lifts located at each entrance and baby change facilities on the ground floor. Why not give it a go?!

The new Experience Wakefield website has now been launched - check here for special event listings.  

The new Experience Wakefield website is live!