AN ANDOVER Museum is hosting a unique collaboration of artists to celebrate the Iron Age Hillfort at Danebury, which for over two millennia has dominated the local landscape.

The exhibition named ‘Danebury – Past and Present Footsteps’, which brings together over a dozen local artists, craftspeople and artefacts from the Hampshire Cultural Trust, will be held at the Andover Museum and Museum of the Iron Age from June 9 to July 17.

The Hampshire Cultural Trust’s extensive collection of artefacts highlight the ongoing relationship that the landmark – first established in around 550 BC - enjoys with people in the Test Valley.

The trust said it will be a family friendly exhibition – with activities for children and adults taking place on some weekends and a very special ‘Mouse Trail’, staged within the Museum of the Iron Age itself.

Artists taking part have created individual mice which will be hidden among the displays and on the first weekend of the show (June 11-12) and the first 30 families completing the trail will receive a hand-crafted pottery mouse as a keepsake, made by one of the artists.

The exhibition includes paintings, drawings, textile art, weaving, ceramics, sculpture, photography, metalwork and jewellery.

All pieces are for sale and will reflect aspects of the Hillfort or be inspired by the artists own personal relationship with the site.

Local textile artists Sarah Maddison and Annette Hobbs, together with painter Keith Pattison are coordinating the artists taking part, many of whom will be new to the museum gallery.

Sarah said: “I think everyone involved in this project is passionate about Danebury and our artists are really enthusiastic to celebrate this ancient site. It’s a place where you really feel the presence of the ancestors.

“Some of the artists have visited the Hampshire Cultural Trust at Winchester and seen exhibits, not currently on show and it is just amazing to actually hold a weaving comb or decorative piece in your hand, knowing it is 2000 years old. The skill in design, making and decoration are unbelievable.

“Whether you are interested in history and archaeology, local ecology, are an artist or are simply a dog walker enjoying the countryside, chances are you will have wandered through the ancient ramparts at some point. We really hope the exhibition will appeal to everyone.”

Louise Mackay, community manager at the Museum of the Iron Age and Andover Museum, said: “It’s wonderful to see the artists creations taking shape, inspired by our collections, our museum and also the magnificently important Iron Age site itself.

“We hope that this exhibition, the workshops and family activities not only inspire visitors to perhaps create Iron Age/ Danebury artworks of their own but also help to create an understanding of the astonishing examples of ingenuity, culture and creativity which our Iron Age ancestors possessed.

“Sadly, Covid and the resulting lockdowns stopped the HCT and the Museum of the Iron Age celebrating the Golden Anniversary of the original excavation in 2019, so this new exhibition will be the perfect opportunity to celebrate this internationally important archaeological site.”

Admission to the exhibition and Andover Museum and the Museum of the Iron Age is free. Donations are welcome to Hampshire Cultural Trust.

Items in the exhibition will be available to purchase with collection of the item when the exhibition has finished.

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