"Aren't we worthy?" part of Women and Power

Booklets for the Aren't we worthy exhibition at National Trust Stowe Play Video

In 2018, a century on from women achieving the vote, we explored the stories of women at Stowe. You helped to choose great British women to sit in a modern day Temple of British Worthies. The local community played an integral part in creating an exhibition - "Aren't we worthy?" Take a look at how the project began and its legacy.

How did the project begin?

A visitor posed a question about female roles within the Temple of British Worthies and asked "Are we not worthy?", which sparked debate amongst our team. In the year of Vote100, we've taken the opportunity to create a twenty-first century point of view on the Worthies.

Originally designed in 1735, it has 16 busts of notable characters that Lord Cobham believed deserved commemoration. When you look along the line of famous faces you'll spot one thing, 15 are male and one is a female, Elizabeth I. 

We created an installation in the garden, shaped by our visitors to Stowe, supporters online, colleagues and contemporaries alongside our local community to result in 16 new representations of British Worthies, 15 female and one male. 

The Results

We received 139 valid nominations across onsite forms and social media giving us a total of 65 different nominations that we shortlisted to 40 in 8 categories for voting before being voted on at the visitor centre at Stowe, on social media channels and in local towns of Banbury, Northampton and Milton Keynes.

We received over 20,000 votes in total.

The 16 new worthies were:

  • Beatrix Potter - Famous author and conservationist

  • Edith Cavell - War time hero

  • Julia Donaldson - Writer, playwright and performer

  • Queen Elizabeth II

  • Ivy Cakebread - Local charity volunteer

  • Marie Stopes - Scientist

  • Philippa Atkinson - Local charity volunteer for Bucks Vision

  • Reverend Gussie - from the local community 

  • Ada Lovelace - Mathematician

  • Kirstin McIntosh - Charity founder

  • Anne O'Brien - A member of the local Milton Keynes Embroiderers' Guild

  • Patricia Poole - an ambassador for MK Snap

  • J.K. Rowling - Philanthropist and author

  • Mary Singh - local professional supporting lives affected by domestic abuse with the charity Eve

  • Queen Victoria

  • Sir David Attenborough - Broadcaster and naturalist

    Each new worthy was represented at Stowe by artworks created by seven community organisations and a Stowe Volunteer Creative Team, with the support of two artists. These were on display in the gardens for nine weeks between 10 Sep - 9 Nov 2018.

 

What was on display?

A stone walled room with easels displaying information boards about the aren't we worthy exhibiiton
A sttone walled room with a projector screen displaying an introductory film is playing with an easel holding an information board
a wide semi-circular temple with open colonnades display perspex boxes on plinths. inside is a creation for new British Worthies
An interpretation board telling the stores of women at Stowe
An image of booklets at Stowe
Stowe Landscape Gardens

Background history

When visitors arrived at the New Inn, they could go into the historic Parlour Rooms to discover more about the Temple of British Worthies and plan their route to see the exhibition in the gardens.

Introductory film

We revealed how local groups from the community got involved to create the exhibition and their special connection to Stowe in a short introductory film.

The new Worthies

At the Temple of Venus visitors could see the 16 new Worthies all represented individually throughout the colonnade walkways.

The stories of Stowe's women

Inside the temple, visitors could discover stories of the women that are represented in the historical landscape at Stowe.

Exhibition booklet

A free of charge booklet was available to accompany the exhibition on arrival and at the Temple of Venus. This provided information on the new Worthies, the people that created each representation and the guiding artists.

Where it all began

We encouraged visitors to walk up to the Elysian Fields to see the original set of individuals selected as British Worthies and wander behind the temple to find Signor Fido's dedication.

Please see film at top of page for more information.

Working with the community

A man and a woman sit at a desk gluing and making some crafts, they're visually impaired
two young girls sit at a desk doing school work on a trip to Stowe. One girl has her hand raised ready to speak.
A group of mixed age women sit around a table planning a new creation
A student from MK Snap holds up a picture of hands
A large golden building, with palladian style coloumns and wings
a logo which includes cows to represent milton keynes and text to explain it is for the MK Jets
Mia's Wood, one of the community groups taking part in the

Bucks Vision 

This organisation supports blind and partially sighted people living in Bucks and Milton Keynes. The COBB craft social group runs regularly at Stowe.

St James and St John Church of England Primary School 

As one of our guardianship partners based in Akeley and Chackmore, students visit Stowe for outdoors learning.

Eve 

Eve has been running a Family Refuge in Northampton for over 35 years. They help women and children who are victims of domestic abuse to rebuild their lives.

MK Snap 

Milton Keynes based charity MK Snap support individuals with learning disabilities through training, education, life skills, work and other opportunities.

Stowe School 

Based in Stowe House on the estate alongside the National Trust gardens and parkland, Stowe School was instrumental in saving the site from ruin in the 1922 sale.

The Milton Keynes Young Embroiderers’ 

This stitch group for students aged 5 to 14 years meet once a month for needlework activities. They are part of the Milton Keynes Embroiderers’ Guild.

Mia's Wood 

Based in Little Horwood, this children's environmental charity aims to explore the wonders of nature. They provide free education, recreation and conservation activities for local Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire communities.

Meet the artists

To help guide the way in which each winner was represented, we enlisted the help of two talented local artists, giving encouragement and creative ideas to display the many achievments of the new Worthies. 

a lady with auburn curly hair with flowers sits on a chair in a room

Lizzy McBain

Lizzy is a local artist and has a background in the history of art, visual art and theatre. Lizzy facilitated ideas and creation workshops with the Stowe Creative Team volunteers.

Miranda La Mutanta supports MK Snap with their Aren't we worthy workshop

Miranda La Mutanta

Supporting community groups - Miranda is an artist and community arts facilitator with experience in teaching and practicing a wide range of traditional and digital art forms.

Women of Stowe

Throughout 2018, we've weaved stories of the women of Stowe throughout our programme of events. The garden was designed to demonstrate male power and influence on politics, but behind the facade lay influences of female vice and virtue, admired members of roaylty and muses. Look amongst the garden and there are females around every corner, in the temples and trails designed by Lord Cobham to enlighten his visitors. 

A view up to a tall Grecian Pillar with a statue is a male, Lord Cobham upon the top. The view is through an avenue of trees stood from another Grecian temple with columns which is The Temple of Concord and Victory Play Video
Video

Lord Cobham's Pillar

Standing 115 feet tall, Lord Cobham's Pillar dominates the Stowe landscape from a 360 degree viewpoint, being seen from arrival and from many areas of the garden. On top sits a statue of Lord Cobham himself, surveying all his gardens to admire. With all this male bravado, you be surprised to learn it was commissioned by Lady Cobham as a birthday present to her dear husband. Sadly, he passed away during its build and never had a chance to see it completed, becoming a commemoration of his memory.

The golden statue of Venus glistens from the sunlight in The Rotunda, an open temple.
Stowe   Buckinghamshire

Girl power

We've made it easy for you to relate the stories women of Stowe with a trail to let little ones discover things in the gardens.

Download, print and bring the trail

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