Object number
2002/14
Description
This is a shire horse bit. It is made entirely of metal, and consists of a central bar, 32cm long, with a ring (8.5cm diameter) at either end. It was dug up in the garden of the donor's previous home on Whiteknights Road, Reading. The land on which the home is built used to be a part of the 'Bellevue' estate, later known as the 'Earley Hill' estate.
Physical description
1 horse bit: metal
Archival history
MERL 'Handwritten accession' form (Museum of English Rural Life) – 'Bit, Shire horse // Description // 1 Shire horse bit. All metal // [pencil sketch] // Dimensions // 32cm (total length) // 8.5cm (diameter of each ring) // Associated information // Dug up in depositor's garden when he lived at 85 Whiteknights Road, Reading. // See attached sheet for information on the history of this land.', Letter, Alan Stockwell to MERL, 29 May 2002 - 'Here is the bit of information about the land where I dug up the Shire horse's bit. At that time I lived in number 85 Whiteknights Road, right opposite Bridges Hall. // Back in the eighteenth century that land was included in the estate known as 'Bellevue'. One James Holmes who lived at Folly Court, Wokingham, owned it. (Now Folly Court is used as a training centre by the Guide Dogs for the Blind) // 'Bellevue' had stables, greenhouses, lawns and gardens, farm buildings and meadowland. A Mrs. Ann Nixon occupied it. // In around 1905 the estate moved to James Holmes sons, and they sold it as a whole to The People's Investment Company for the princely sum of £10,750. The estate name was changed to 'Earley Hill' and the name of the big house to 'Erleigh'. One C. Tanquery resided there. // Three large houses stood on the edge of the estate, these were 'Graylands', 'Heathfield' and 'Erlimont'. They are still there today, on the opposite side of Wokingham Road. // The People's Investment Company eventually sold off the estate in plots and the big house was demolished. The estate is remembered by the names of the roads that were built through it, Belle Ave., Earley Hill Rd., Holmes Rd. // ... So it was in the garden of number 85 that I dug up the Shire horse bit that I brought in to you. So it is a small piece of local history, it seems fitting it should be in your museum.'
Object name
Material
Associated subject
External document
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\2002_14_doc_01.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\2002_14_doc_02.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\2002_14_doc_03.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\2002_14_doc_04.tif - High resolution image
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\Documents\Scans\2002_14_doc_05.tif - High resolution image