When you hear the word, corer, you might think of a small, hand-held device to assist with removing the cores from apples. But you miss the reality of this corer by some distance if that is what you have in mind. This device is more a sampler, for making sure a product is as it should be right the way through it.
A sampling corer at Market Lavington Museum
This corer is about 80 cm long and whilst the dark, metal part is original it has been fitted with a new handle. It is mounted on the wall of our trades room. Its explanation label says it all.
Corer (modern handle) used in World War 1 for testing and sampling bags of fertiliser. Used by James Welch 1914 – 1918.
So this device could be used to get right to the bottom of a sack of fertiliser to enable James Welch to be certain all of the contents were as they should be.
James Welch was the grandfather of our museum founder, Peggy Gye. He had official roles during the Great War and carried a little card which showed he had the right to commandeer items on behalf of the war effort. That card and other items from Market Lavington are on display at the Stonehenge Visitor Centre during the winter in their ‘Soldiers at Stonehenge’ exhibition.
It is good that during our closed season, the public – a truly international public at Stonehenge – still have an opportunity to see some of our wonderful artefacts.
Market Lavington Museum 