A Victorian curiosity created by James Bateman that first opened to the public in 1862 the Geological Gallery is an ambitious structure. Bateman hoped to convince visitors of theories that combined new geological finds with the Christian story of creation.
The Gallery contains a selection of fossils and geological strata displayed in a chronological order determined by both mid-19th century geological knowledge and the Christian story of Genesis. The form in which the fossils are displayed – separated into bays numbered accirding to the days of creation – makes the structure the only survival of its kind.
Day III would have mainly contained fossilised plants, such as ferns
A number of the fossils were rescued in the 1970s by Dr John Stanley a geologist from Keele University. At the time the Gallery was part of the hospital and was being used as a storage room and workship. The National Trust took contorl of the Gallery in the late 1990s and efforts to restore it continue.
An original ammonite slots comfortably into its old space on the wall
Recent research has found that its creation was informed by the theories of Scottish evangelist and geologist Hugh Miller. Such individuals as Professor Richard Owen and Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins are also thought to have been involved in the buildings design and creation. However, ultimately the Gallery is another example of James Bateman's desire to position Biddulph Gange Garden at the forefront of Victorian Natural History.
The large Purbeck Turtle was originally displayed in Day VI
Want to know more? Watch this short video about the Geological Gallery
