The Museum of British Pewter
David Moulson looks at the history of pewter, as a new dedicated museum opens in Stratford-upon-Avon.
This month the first museum of British pewter will be opened in Stratford-upon-Avon. A permanent exhibition is long overdue given that pewter was of primary importance for hundreds of years for use in the home, church and tavern. The museum was made possible by the generous donation by retired Scottish businessman, Alex Neish, of one of the country’s finest collections. Consisting of over 1,100 pieces, the collection covers the manufacture of pewter from its introduction during the Roman occupation through to the early twentieth-century Art Nouveau revival. Further additions will reflect the output of a thriving modern industry.
The extraordinary gift was made in 1996 to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, an independent registered educational charity which relies on income from visitors to the five Shakespeare related properties in and around Stratford-upon-Avon.
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