Axbridge Review: a surprising truth about a dead Roman; the wonkiest staircase; notes on the 1973 aircraft disaster; and Axbridge’s fallen WW1 soldiers – a visit to King John’s Hunting Lodge Museum and a journey back thousands of years

By Harry Mottram: Seeking somewhere cool during Axbridge’s fun day in the Square I entered the beautifully restored and lovingly maintained King John’s Hunting Lodge Museum. Free to enter the museum covers tens of thousands of years from fossils discovered from the Paleolithic era to the Romans, Saxons, Medieval and Tudor times to Georgian and Victorian centuries right up to today. The building is the star – with the town’s wonkiest staircases, the ancient timber beams, massive oak doors and those views from the upper floors of the late 15th and early 16th century former shop, pub and home to generations of Axbridgeians.

There are two Romano British skeletons laid out upstairs with some notes on who they may have been. One from near Axbridge was thought to be man until a visit from the bone expert and forensic scientist Professor Michael Collier who spotted some inconsistencies in his remains. Because he was in fact a she – wrongly affectionately called George for decades – but now the clearly beautiful Georgina after her features were recreated with an artist’s impression. She would have lived in what is now called the Early Medieval period – not the Dark Ages – when Celtic Somerset was adjusting to life without the Roman State as Anglo Saxons moved in with their Germanic language and pagan ways. An interesting time in the 6th century as Christianity had already taken hold through the latter period of the Roman Empire – and Georgina had a Christian burial.

There’s plenty of information about the 24 year old and her medical condition as well as the other skeleton of Claudius whose body was found in Old Church Road by a neighbour of mine when he was creating an inspection pit in his garage. Claudius is thought to have been a Romano British soldier and later farmer and his funeral is commemorated in the opening scene of the Axbridge Pageant.

The museum has a set of photos and much information on the biggest tragedy to befall the town in the 20th century: the 1973 Swiss air disaster when a plane carrying 145 people – many from Axbridge – crashed into a snow covered mountain leaving scores of families in the town without a mother as the bulk of the passengers were local women on a shopping trip to Basle. For those new to the town the bare facts are a shock – 108 fatalities from the Vickers Vanguard 952 that had taken off from Bristol Lulsgate airport earlier in the day.

Much has been carried out by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to recognise, record and restore the graves of those soldiers who died in the two world wars – often in this country from their wounds. The interest in these soldiers and those of their comrades is reflected in a series of photographs and biographies of servicemen from Axbridge. By the church steps there is the war memorial – but seeing photos of these young men along with some details of who they were is both fascinating and moving at the same time. It is another exhibition in the museum that pays to study for a few minutes.

And there is a small exhibition on the late Yvonne Chamberlain – the former town crier of Axbridge who held the job on a salary of a shilling a week for 40 years from 1975 to 2015. Known to many as simply Vonnie it is fair to say she became synonymous with the town and was a fixture every year in leading the carnival procession through the streets. Also strongly associated with the town’s past and indeed present are the maces held in a secure case in the museum – symbols of the town council’s authority and with a long history. We still have a mace bearer today in Ray Sparks of the Oak House Hotel – along with his colleague the town bailiff Andres Bolado. Nigel Scott is the town crier – thus completing the Civic Ceremonial trio.

For more on the museum and its opening hours and a chance to volunteer to help run it visit https://kingjohnshuntinglodge.co.uk/

King John’s Hunting Lodge is a 15th century merchant’s house. The museum is run by The Axbridge and District Museum Trust, a group of dedicated local volunteers and the building is owned by the National Trust. The NT also have a website at https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/somerset/king-johns-hunting-lodgehttps://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/somerset/king-johns-hunting-lodge

Axbridge Diary of Events

Some Axbridge dates coming up. Send Axbridge events to me and I’ll try to keep the list updated. Email: harryfmottram@gmail.com I’ll also post on my website at https://www.harrymottram.co.uk/diary/

Harry Mottram

Note: I get asked this frequently so just to repeat I write up these stories from time to time out of personal interest – all the information is in the public domain – I put it together, so it makes sense to me. I am not paid – my main job is covering Bath for Bath Voice News and ICSM of Bridgwater which is about business insolvencies. I have lived in Old Church Road for over 25 years and am married to Linda – our four children went to the local state schools. I’ve always taken an interest in local affairs having worked as a journalist in Somerset for many years. More at at www.harrymottram.co.uk and social media on X as @harrythe spiv, Facebook, Blue Sky, LinkedIn, Instagram, Threads and God knows where else!