Bartimaeus

In Worcester last time we were moored for a while outside the Commandery. This looked like it was very much about the civil war and was a major part of the history of Worcester so we intended to visit there. However we weren't moored there this time, so as to vary Heather's on the water experience. By the time we had arrived it was closed but we took in a walk in Worcester. 

We didn't  remember this mural last time but we do remember that Shane saw an otter fighting with an eel, so we know they do live here.

The riverside walk took us along close to the cathedral so we went in. I remembered seeing an exhibition here before. Shane hadn't been in though, so he joined me briefly then went back out to enjoy the little bit of late sunshine.

I found that there was another exhibition this time, of paintings, ceramics and writing done by a group of people recovering or adapting to life following brain injury. The exhibition name was the English for the popular boat name Carpe Diem, Seize the Day! Some said the art class was a life line. It wasn't just sociable, good for mental health and relaxation, but also therapy in helping with concentration and improving them physically. I bought the book of writings.

The next day we went to the Commandery. At the time of the civil war Worcester was chosen as the headquarters of the Royalist centre of command, hence the name, but they had been invited there by the owner of the large house. It turned out that the building had a long history and half the museum was dedicated to the inhabitants and times of the place over the years.

It has been a hospital, a place for hospitality and care of the sick, in the middle ages. Outside there was a garden and herbs used for treating ailments in Medieval times were there. We could have done with mugwort, if it works.

The inhabitants ate in the grand main hall. Some very old stained glass windows were in a high up window and very old carvings and dark wood.

Next to the hall was the buttery. It had served as a place for food and later plates for serving in the hall, but now it stored staffs for medieval combat re-enactors.

The Georgian era was demonstrated as very refined and alongside fine dresses and a piano there was included a display of Royal Worcester porcelain.

They had a plaque describing how much of the wealth of the era was dependent on the slave trade and how even at the time abolition, the owners were compensated for the loss of their property, but the slaves were not compensated.

Moving to the Victorian era wasn't very much better. There was an emphasis on destitution, pauper's coffin was on display as well as chimney brushes, and that children had to do hard dangerous work for little money. The workhouse was a much feared institution and the inhabitants were pretty much slave labour, though they had not been captured or bought and sold. The Commandery hadn't been a workhouse or funeral parlour, but a school for blind boys. We felt the braille and Shane had a go at trying on a hat.

It became a printers and I found that boaters were claimed to be a bad influence, in a quote from one of the employees in the 1960s. Apparently they swear a lot! 

We had lunch then headed round the civil war part. I hadn't known that Oliver Cromwell, the creator of the New Model Army, had no military training but he was nonetheless a good strategist and created a very disciplined training regime, such was his character. The Royalists having set up in Worcester, chose that as the place for the battle. They were surprised by a tactic that had never been used before, using the Severn to its advantage. They made a floating bridge to move their troops. Several small rafts joined together.

The royalists were roundly beaten. After Oliver Cromwell died, it wasn't long before the monarchy was restored. His death mask or a model thereof, was displayed. There was also a room all about haunting. There are many different incidents of unexplained sounds, movements and sightings happening and they suggested a place with such a long history, and having had a war centre and a hospital, a lot of death had occurred there, greatly increasing the chance of hauntings! 

There were interactive opportunities throughout, like dressing up, including metal helmets, such as were worn by Cromwells army, but obviously weapon handling wasn't so child friendly, but they had a pike in a display that you could lift but not carry around, so you could feel the weight of a five metre pike. I feel the unwieldiness is much more the shape than the weight. It also felt lighter than a bargepole, three or three and a half metres, as it was slimmer.

It was a much more varied visit than I had anticipated. We then had to turn our minds to getting ready for Heather's arrival - shopping, cooking and tidying. We were delighted to meet her at the station on a lively Saturday night and on the walk back told her that the Commandery was worth a visit, if you like history, which she does! However on this visit we were going to whisk her through Worcester and the nearest she got was the bridge by the locks at the commandery. There was no bad example in behaviour or language from us by the lock, especially not Heather.