Please note that we are currently closed to the public. See our full statement on this page for further information. Collections
Gloves and Gloving
Yeovil and the surrounding area was a gloving industry hub from the 14th century, until the last factory linked to the industry closed in 2023. The Heritage Collection is home to an extensive collection of gloves made by local manufacturers along with the designs, tools and machinery vital to the industry that made them.
Industrial
The collection reflects the area’s industrial heritage, from gloving and motor vehicles to aircraft and cheesemaking. The story of Petters Limited is represented through the collection’s objects, from their origins as a Victorian iron foundry to building an 1895 ‘Horseless Carriage’ engine and establishing the famous Westland Aircraft Works.
Costume & Textile
We hold a significant collection of costume and textile items, ranging from samplers and Friendly Society banners to a hat believed to have been worn by Queen Victoria. Our highlight is a beautifully embroidered Georgian era wedding coat of Swayne Harbin from Newton Surmaville House, near Yeovil.
Fine Art
We are home to a broad collection of artworks, including a 1603 carved panel from the Angel Inn (now the site of Yeovil’s NatWest Bank) and formal portraits of local industrialists. We hold contemporary works by Martock-based artist Arlie Panting and satirical political cartoons from the collection of the late Yeovil MP Paddy Ashdown.
Photographs
The Heritage Collection cares for over 6,000 photographs relating to South Somerset’s people, places, transport and industry. This includes the collection of local businessman and keen photographer Henry Stiby, with photographs and glass plate negatives which chart scenes of Yeovil from the 1880s to 1910.
Ceramics & Glassware
From commemorative items to collectables, our extensive ceramic collection includes the Riot Jugs presented to the Mudford Troop of Yeomanry Cavalry during the political reform riots of 1831. The Pinney glass collection includes a significant bequest of 18th and 19th century domestic glassware.
Archaeology
The archaeology collection represents the area’s history from its first inhabitants, including a Neolithic hand axe found on Wyndham Hill. The collection holds many Roman artefacts including large mosaics from Yeovil’s villas, and cannonballs likely to be reminders of the English Civil War’s 1642 Battle of Babylon Hill.
Coins and medals
We hold a notable bequest of Roman coins from Ilchester collector James Stevens-Cox, including a rare coin of Gaius Marcus Aurelius, who reigned for only a few days in AD269. We also care for a number of First and Second World War Medals, along with a selection of pub and trade tokens.
Discover highlights of the collection, at the gallery on the bottom of this page.
