Settle down or settle up?

How strange words in the English language can be. Settling down and settling up ought to have entirely opposite meanings, but as far as we know the meanings are entirely different with no link between them.

However, during our closed season we have taken all the display on our circa 1800 settle down and have now put up a new display on the same settle.

A fresh settle display for 2015

At the left hand end a bride is ready to depart. She’s wearing a 1920s wedding dress. Her two maids are taking a breather with her, wearing appropriate period aprons. Other items, possibly recently worn by household members have been hung on the settle prior to being put away. Perhaps the bride has decided the necklace is a bit chunky for her wedding dress.

Just out of shot, the bride’s niece is in the pram. She’s in a family heirloom Christening gown for there is to be a joint ceremony.

At least they all have a very short walk to the church!

Do visit in 2015 to see what’s new at Market Lavington Museum. Remember, admission is free although we welcome donations to help us with running costs.

The Oak Settle

Here we have a substantial item which is always out in our upstairs room, yet is rarely seen. It is a large oak settle. The wood has been stained giving it a dark, almost black appearance. It dates from about 1800 and is almost a movable wall, no doubt very useful for keeping draughts at bay.

As a little aside, that statement about draughts could cause amusement in Wiltshire. With a Wiltshire accent, the word ‘giraffe’ comes out more like ‘draf’. Indeed, many a Wiltshire teacher will have seen youngsters, when writing about the tall African mammal, spell it just like that – D R A F! As far as we know we have no giraffes to be kept at bay by an old black settle.

An oak settle from about 1800 spent its working life on White Street in Market Lavington

Our records say this settle belonged to the Gye family, first at Beech Cottage and then at Beech House. The records need checking, for both properties belonged to the Welch family. Our founder curator, Peggy Gye had been a Miss Welch before she married.

The reason this item isn’t noticed is because it gets used as a display stand. It is so good to be able to drape a wonderful fabric over it. In the past it has been a bedspread made by Mrs Crassweller. And then we can arrange a family of people on it. The people change each year. This year we have some people getting up in the morning. The settle looks more like this.

The settle now performs a very useful job at Market Lavington Museum

The settle is, of course, of interest, but it seems much more human when used in this way.