Penrith and Eden Museum

About

Penrith and Eden Museum is an Accredited Museum. It is housed  in a former school building, known as Robinson's School in Middlegate, Penrith, which served as a school from 1670 to 1970. The museum aims to collect, preserve and display material reflecting the history and culture of the Penrith and Eden district. The museum is owned and managed by Westmorland and Furness Council. It is supported by the Friends of Penrith and Eden Museum.

The museum's exhibits include a fossil dinosaur footprint from the sandstone of the Eden Valley; objects from the Stone Age and the Roman period, including a coin hoard of over 600 bronze coins dating from about AD 320-340 found at Newby near Shap, and Roman jewellery found locally; the medieval seal of Penrith and the old market toll measures; a gold posy ring found on the outskirts of Penrith and inscribed Kepe Faith Till Death.

There are mementoes of local personalities such as Trooper William Pearson, wrestlers William Jameson, Ernest Harrison and Thomas Powley, as well as of the  ‘Monocled Mutineer’ Percy Toplis. Other intriguing objects include an elephant's tooth excavated from the moat at Penrith Castle. There are finds from the area discovered with metal detectors and declared treasure under the Treasure Act; for example the Charles 1st medallion from Kirkby Stephen, a medieval coin hoard from Crosby Ravensworth and a gold and amethyst gemstone ring from Waitby. Paintings by Jacob Thompson ‘The Druids Cutting Mistletoe at Long Meg’, the ‘Height of Ambition’ and the ‘Downfall of Pride’ can also be seen in the Museum.

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