10 West Borough, Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 1NF
A place of pilgrimage and prayer for more than 1,300 years, Wimborne Minster is known for its chained library and fine tombs. Anthony Ettrick, known as ‘the man in the wall’, has a curious burial place inside the minster. A local magistrate, he obtained permission to make a recess in the wall, where his colourful coffin was placed in his lifetime. Convinced he would die in 1693, Ettrick had the date painted on the side; he did not die until 1703… and the date was altered!
A photograph and text about Thomas Hardy.
The text reads: Thomas Hardy, OM, was an influential English novelist and poet, who continues to be widely regarded today and has greatly influenced modern English poetry. His work was linked to several periods of literature, including Naturalism, Romanticism and Enlightenment. Born in Dorchester in 1840, he lived in Wimborne for two years from 1881.
Photographs, prints and text about Sir Alan Cobham.
The text reads: Aviation pioneer Sir Alan Cobham, KBE, AFC, was a renowned pilot born in 1894. He was a member of the Royal Flying Corporation in World War I and was famous for his long distance flights. Following the war he became a test pilot for De Havilland aircraft company and in 1932 he formed Cobham’s Flying Circus, a touring air show combining wing walkers, aerobatics and parachutes. In 1934, he founded Flight Refuelling Limited; known today as Cobham Plc, the leading aerospace and defence systems company based in Wimborne.
A brick sculpture by Julie Miles.
Julie graduated from Cardiff in 1998 with an MA in ceramics. Initially she set up her studio in Wigan as the artist in residence at Drumcroon Education Arts Centre. Julie then went on to be the artist in residence at Abraham Guest High School and Giggleswick School in North Yorkshire. In early 2001, Julie moved her studios to the Malt Kilns in Barrowford, Lancashire, where she steadily built up her business and national reputation for her delicate porcelain sculpture and functional works inspired by details in nature and landscape. Julie is now based at Higherford Mill, which is under restoration to create more studios for the creative industries.
Julie has worked closely with brick consultants and design advisors within the brick industry to produce a range of sculptures with her first, Brick Kiln, being shortlisted for the Brick Development Associations Brick Awards 2006, Best landscape Project category.
Working with brick, Julie has found a material that can be very versatile, creating large scale works that can give the visual impact required for landscape projects, playgrounds of public buildings.
If you have information on the history of this pub, then we’d like you to share it with us. Please e-mail all information to: pubhistories@jdwetherspoon.co.uk