December Object of the Month We are in the final month of 2025, which means this is the last 2025 Object of the Month! December’s object is Winifred M. Warne’s book ‘The Robin's Christmas Eve’ (1920). A seasonal tale that follows the story of a kind-hearted robin...
Object of the Month: November 2025Spearhead found at the Ambleside Roman FortWhat do we know about conflicts in Ambleside during the Roman occupation? The Object of the Month for November is this spearhead found at the Ambleside Roman Fort.This iron spearhead was...
Folktales, customs, and anecdotes from the Lake District told in a collection of "yarns". See below to read the chapter 'The Heart of Stone' for slightly spooky short story this Halloween month.THE HEART OF STONEIt isn't often that one has a story of the weird...
September means back to school for a lot of people so this month’s object is a photograph of Charlotte Mason's students in 1897. Charlotte Mason established her House of Education at the northern end of Ambleside on Rydal Road, which opened in January 1892 with four...
Roman Lead Sling Shot Bullets Besides the gravestone, the most important piece of evidence to indicate conflict inside the Roman fort is the lead sling shot bullets. They were found across all 20th century excavations, but there are two different types - regular and...
Dorothy Johnson’s papier mâché model of Beatrix Potter In honour of Beatrix Potter’s 159th birthday on Monday 28th July, this month’s object is this papier mâché doll by local resident Dorothy Johnson. Helen Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) was born in London to Rupert and...
Object of the Month: June 2025 Patience Arnold Doll's House Museum, Ambleside Summer is here, bringing ever more tourists to soak up the sun in the fells. This month we’re remembering a beloved Ambleside tourist attraction of years past with this book about Patience...
Object of the Month: May 2025 Photograph of the May Day Festivities in 1945 Happy May Day! Our Object of the Month is this photograph of the May Queen and her court for 1945, celebrating the end of the Second World War that year. This photo shows the Ambleside May...
Object of the Month: April 2025 Drawing of Pelter Bridge (4th April 1898) by Sophia Armitt (1847-1908)We have many works of art in our collection, but we felt the best one for April’s Object of the Month was this lovely drawing of Pelter Bridge by Sophia Armitt, the...
Object of the Month: March 2025The Lake District Defence Society – Appeal for Funds March 1887March’s Object of the Month is inspired by community efforts to protect the environment in Lakeland. Let’s look at this 1887 appeal for funding by the Lake District Defence...
Welcome to February, the month of love – are you carrying a torch for anyone? If you were an ancient Roman, perhaps you would carry an oil lamp, as found at the Ambleside Roman fort. This is a sherd of a mica-dusted oil lamp, made at some point from the first to...
Letter by Alfred Wainwright Happy New Year everyone! Our first Object of the Month for 2025 marks our new exhibition opening next month, with a letter by Lakeland legend Alfred Wainwright.Alfred Wainwright (1907 – 1991) is best known today for his Pictorial Guides to...
Arctic plant specimens collected by Captain Lyon It’s officially winter, drawing our minds towards one of the coldest places on earth, the Arctic Circle. Our Object of the Month for December is this selection of Arctic plant specimens from 1821 to 1823, collected by...
MillSPINDLE WHORLS FROM AMBLESIDE As the nights draw in, we find ourselves retreating indoors to stay warm, perhaps to knit, sew or crochet to pass the time. How did people make thread for these crafts in the distant past? November’s Object of the Month are these two...
Sophia Armitt’s Fungi Sketchbook It’s mushroom season, but we’re not talking about Beatrix Potter this time – our Object of the Month is this 1906 fungi sketchbook and painting owned by Sophia Armitt. Sophia was the oldest Armitt sister, born in 1847. Her father,...
Object of the Month: September 2024 September means it’s back to school – our Objects of the Month are items from former Ambleside institution the Kelsick Grammar School. We have two school pin badges decorated with its crest. It is unclear how old they are; they were...
Object of the Month: August 2024 Bill and receipt from Charles Simpson’s grocers In honour of our current exhibition on The Armitt Explores… Kurt Schwitters, August’s Object of the Month is this bill and receipt from Charles Simpson’s grocery business in Ambleside....
Object of the Month: July 2024It’s Ambleside Sports soon, which was first held 138 years ago in 1886. Therefore, we’ve picked these photos of Cumberland wrestling events as July’s Object of the Month. These photos were taken by Joseph Hardman (1893-1972). They are...
MODEL OF THE AMBLESIDE FORT As summer approaches, we’re taking a closer look at an important item related to an Ambleside landmark – this model of the Ambleside Roman Fort. The remains of the Roman fort are in Borrans Parks at Waterhead, the northern tip of...
BRONZE MORTAR For May’s Object of the Month, we’re ‘on the grind’ with this large bronze mortar from our collection. This mortar dates from 1735 and was cast in bronze. It has a decorative band around the middle, with the date and initials ‘R I’. Unfortunately, we...