See objects that span nearly 800 years of history at Lacock Abbey. Many of these also feature in the early experimental photographs of Henry Fox Talbot. Here are some the top highlights we wouldn’t you to miss on your visit.
Firefoot - the famous rocking horse immortalised in print
Firefoot the rocking horse is one of the more personal items in the Talbot family's collection, a gift from Henry Fox Talbot to his children in the 19th century. Firefoot features in one of Henry's early salt prints, an experiment with early photography.
A seat at the table
Another subject for Henry Fox Talbot's photographs, the 17thcentury sgabello chairs in the Stone Gallery are interesting objects in their own right. Sometimes described as 'camping chairs' due to their detachable backs. In Henry's photo you can see his friends seated on them in the Cloister Garth.
Formed in fire
The terracotta statues that line the Great Hall were fired on site by Victor Alexander Sederbach in the 18th century and are said to depict notable figures from Lacock’s history, as well as religious personalities. Henry Fox Talbot’s photo of Diogenes, holding his lamp aloft in his search for truth, was one of the first he created.
Emblems of ownership
One of the oldest objects in the Stone Gallery, which retains much of its original Tudor design. The Pestle and Mortar is over 470 years old and would have been used in the Kitchen. It features a scorpion, the personal motif of William Sharington who bought the Abbey after it was dissolved in Henry VIII's reformation.
Lacock collection highlights
Hundreds of years of stories can be told through Lacock's collection of historic objects, here are a few highlights you can see on your visit.
This rare surviving example of a 14th century hand-written book was made for the Abbey, and can be seen in the Servant's Hall. It's usually displayed closed to protect the fragile spine, but once a year, for a month, the pages are opened so you can see the detail inside. Visit the Events page for dates each year.
One of the terracotta statues in the Great Hall at Lacock
Here stands a figure alleged to be Diogenes, the philosopher with his lamp looking for truth. This terracotta statue features in an early photograph by inventor Henry Fox Talbot.
Now standing tall in the Warming Room, just off the Cloister Walk, the large bell metal cauldron was used in the kitchen for hundreds of years. It was taken into the garden to be an ornamental feature in 1747, and returned to the house in 1905.
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The Lacock Brito
We know very little about the everyday world of the nuns at Lacock Abbey. However, one of the most important books in the collection gives a remarkable and rare glimpse into how they might have lived their lives. The book, Expositiones Vocabulorum Bibliae, was written by William Brito – sometimes known as Guillaume le Breton – in the 14th century. Written in Latin on parchment, it's an alphabetical list of difficult words to understandin the Bible, giving explanations, origins and etymologies.
A kitchen centrepiece
Now standing in the Warming Room near the Cloister walkways, this impressive iron cauldron was in use right up until the century. It stood in the Kitchen until the mid 18th century, when it was moved into the garden as an ornamental feature.
Medieval tiles
There are over 1000 tiles in the abbey collection, which have been dated from the 13th to 16th centuries. Retrieved from various locations around the grounds, many may have come from the original flooring in the long-demolished church. You can see a display of medieval tiles as they might have been laid out in the Chapterhouse.
Lacock Abbey's collections
Explore the objects and works of art we care for at Lacock Abbey on the National Trust Collections website.
The art and heritage collections we care for rival the world’s greatest museums. Learn more about the collection of paintings, decorative art, costume, books, household and other objects at historic places.
See the breadth of our collection of works of art, furniture and more: we care for around a million objects at over 200 historic places, there’s a surprise discovery around every corner.
Discover the stories behind some of the greatest artworks and artefacts looked after by the National Trust, as told in a dedicated book, 125 Treasures from the Collections of the National Trust.
Lacock Abbey's peaceful garden is a place to relax. Discover the Botanic Garden, greenhouse, orchard and woodland along with the sounds of nature at this green natural setting.
Explore the historic streets of Lacock, a quintessential English village with timber-framed cottages and local shops. With its central grid of four streets, Lacock today looks much as it did 200 years ago.
Seasonal blooms, activity trails, medieval architecture and photographic discovery: have a fun-filled adventure at Lacock Abbey. Explore the abbey rooms and discover the window with a unique link to the invention of photography, find out more in the Fox Talbot Museum and feel inspired by the latest exhibition.
