Ryedale Folk Museum

From the 16th of June until the 3rd July Lewis Delaney did his work experience at Ryedale Folk Museum. Along the way he has learnt a lot about the museum and history side of things. He also had an insight into the communication side of a business by taking part in meetings and talking to new faces. This is particularly important at Ryedale Folk Museum as there are many volunteers, each different every day. His confidence in tasks and answering questions has increased and he always offered support to staff and visitors alike. This is Lewis giving a brief account about his two weeks experience here at the museum. On my first day I nervously approached the entrance to find it was shut. I was terrified I had got the wrong time and was going to make a terrible impression on my first day. However two volunteers who were working that day saw me, and asked if I was doing my work experience. They showed me the way into the building, they were very willing and kind. I was shown around the museum...

Carol Wilson, a regular volunteer at the museum, has been in today to tend the authentic fifteenth century garden behind the Crofter's Cottage. There are a great variety of plants, vegetables flowers and herbs grown in the garden, most of them were grown for food, medicine or dying clothes. Before the fifteenth century the types of plants grown were either native, or introduced by the Normans and the Romans before them. Green comfrey was mixed with pig fat to stick on wounds - remember there was no elastoplasts. Sweet Woodruff was a 'strewing herb', one cast it on the floor of the house to disguise the smells. Sweet Cicely was useful for aiding digestion and chewing to alleviate hunger. Mary's Tears reminded people of the tears of the virgin Mary at the Crucifixion, remember this was a period before Henry VIII when most people would be practicing Catholics.