[nb-NO]Object number[nb-NO]
51/122
[nb-NO]Description[nb-NO]
A skep is a type of beehive that has been in use for over 2000 years and is essentially a basket placed upside down. This skep is made of wheat straw and the splits are bramble shoots from which the pith has been removed. It was made for Mr Massingham by a retired mason from Guiting Power, Gloucestershire, who had never seen one made or had any training in straw work. He used only a knife and a bullock’s horn for shaping the straw ropes.
[nb-NO]Archival history[nb-NO]
Citation in publication [H. J. Massingham, 'Country Relics' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1939)] –'The remaining example of the ancient craft of straw-plaiting I possess is a bee-skip, or skep, ousted years ago by the standardized box-hive. It has a curious history attached to it. It was constructed by a retired mason of Guiting Power above the Valley of the Upper Windrush, and this daring experimentalist had never made a straw beehive in his life of over 70 years before, nor seen one made nor received any training in straw-work. If that were not handicap enough, he was forced to the use of wheat-straw, whereas the longer, softer and more flexible rye-straw is the proper material for the traditional rural bee-skip. Add to this that the true method of lacing the hive within and without was with the bramble-shoots from which the pith was removed. Following this difficult and laborious method, using the inferior straw and only a knife and a bullock's horn (for shaping the "ropes") for tools and lacking both knowledge and experience, he yet accomplished the feat of turning out a thoroughly workmanlike bee-skip, conical in shape, and worthy to be set beside any of the older forms.' (pp.181-182), MERL list / description [Massingham Collection, circa 1951] - 'Museum of English Rural Life // Equipment to be loaned to the Cotswold Tradition Exhibition // Cat Ref. No.: // [tick] 51/122 M // [tick] Bee Hive (Skip) [Cleaned] [tick] ...', MERL list / description [Massingham Collection, circa 1951] - '[insert] MASSINGHAM FILE [end insert] // THE COTSWOLD TRADITION // AN EXHIBITION AT CIRENCESTER PARK // MAY-SEPTEMBER 1951 ... // RECEIPT. // Received with gratitude the following articles, collected from Reading University on the 29th April, 1951: // ... Bee Skep. ... // Loaned by The Massingham Collection.', MERL list / description [Massingham Collection, October 1989] – 'ACC. NO.: 51/122 // NAME: BEE HIVE SKEP // NEG NO.: 5/117 // STORAGE: Missing.', MERL miscellaneous note - It is uncertain as to whether this artefact was brought from the Whiteknights Museum site to the Redlands Roaad Museum site when the collection was moved in 2004. It was reportedly not recorded on the inventory spreadsheet created at that time. Its current location is unknown. [Ollie Douglas, 21 November 2017], MERL miscellaneous note - Although this object is still missing, the accession file contains a detailed step by step description of how these hives are made. [Tim Jerrome, Further Afield project, 17 January 2024]
[nb-NO]Production place[nb-NO]
Guiting Power
[nb-NO]Date[nb-NO]
1900-01-01 - 1999-12-31
[nb-NO]Production period[nb-NO]
Twentieth century
[nb-NO]Object name[nb-NO]