Social History

Social History Collection

Of particular significance in the collection are the relics of the ancient guilds of Salisbury, most memorably the Merchant Tailors’ Giant and his companion Hob Nob. Civic objects include items salvaged from the Council House fire in 1780, standard weights and measures and collections of Salisbury-made bells, clocks and watches, silver, guns and cutlery. More recent manufacturing history is represented by a Scout Motor car made in Salisbury in 1912 – one of only two surviving today.

Brass lantern clock
Brass lantern clock by Nicholas...
City Standards
A display of local weights...
Giant and Hob-Nob
The Salisbury Giant is a...
Great Bustards
The four great bustards at...
Guild Objects
The merchant guild was a...
Mortar
A bronze mortar, cast from...
Salisbury Cutlery
The Salisbury cutlery industry, which...
Salisbury Gunsmithing
Salisbury possessed a flourishing gunsmithing...
Salisbury Silver
Salisbury was accorded its own...
Shoehorn
Shoehorn engraved and inscribed by...
Sir Walter Alcock’s Engine
A scale model of the...
Stumpwork Mirror Frame
This stumpwork, or raised work,...
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