Bruton Museum aims to tell the story of the Saxon town of Bruton in Somerset, what was here before the town and what came after its medieval heyday as an important ecclesiastical centre. Spectacular fossils, masonry from the site of Bruton Abbey, the unique sculptures of WWII German refugee, Ernst Blensdorf, and the writing desk used by the American writer John Steinbeck, who lived in Bruton in 1959, are among its many highlights.

We also represent our community in our changing display CASESPACE, where we show contemporary art and collections.

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John Steinbeck and the Matter of King Arthur - Bruton 1959

In a two-man show, Andy Pickering and Ed Gale (as John Steinbeck) tell the story of renowned American author John Steinbeck’s reasons for coming to live in Bruton for most of 1959.

Historian and lecturer, Dr Andrew Pickering is Chairman of the Bruton Museum Society and the author of John Steinbeck and the Matter of Arthur. He has lived in Bruton for almost 30 years.

Ed Gale has an MSc from the London School of Economics in Economic History. He was born and raised in Springfield, Massachusetts, and he has lived in Bruton since 2009.

£10 7pm Tuesday 21 May 2024 At The Chapel, in the clubroom.

The Art of Capturing the Past

Lucy Jago and Emma Craigie, both writers of historical fiction and non-fiction, discuss the advantages and pitfalls of these different approaches to understanding the past.

Lucy Jago is an award-winning writer of fiction and non-fiction, her work has been translated into ten languages. A Net for Small Fishes is in development as a film and she is working on a new novel for Bloomsbury. She lives in Bruton, Somerset, with her family.

Emma Craigie is the author of four books including the critically acclaimed novel Chocolate Cake with Hitler, and co-author of the Sunday Times best-seller Hitler's Last Day, Minute by Minute. She is writing a memoir of Pitcombe to be published in 2025.

£10 7pm Thursday 30 May 2024 At The Chapel, in the clubroom.

Casespace

The Bruton Detectorist

Our local detectorist has gathered together a collection of 16th–18th-century local finds. Detectoring and ‘Eyes only’ (surface) finds will be on display. Bring your treasures for identification on the evening of 15 March, 6–8pm.

25 March - 31 May 2024