The ‘History Revealed’, Heritage Book Restoration Project at West Horsley Place
Some of our Arts Society Leatherhead members have been trained and are working as part of an East Surry Area Arts Society team on this rewarding book restoration project at West Horsley Place.
Entitled ‘History Revealed’, the National Lottery Heritage-funded collaboration was launched in 2021 and involves a team of local heritage volunteers visiting the house twice weekly to record the books held in its library.
11.000 books need to be processed and the team is painstakingly working through the collection, logging shelf positions, recording bibliographic details and copy-specific information such as inscriptions and annotations, cleaning, conducting any basic repairs required and identifying those needing specialist attention.
‘The books that we have here now are hugely important to us as part of our story here and part of the feel of West Horsley Place as somewhere which is accessible to all. Although nothing hugely financially valuable remains here, these books are very valuable to us.'
Polesden Lacey Costume Project
Since 2009, many Heritage Volunteers from within the Arts Society East Surrey Area have worked on a costume project in partnership with the National Trust at Polesden Lacey. The volunteers have been reproducing period costumes for staff and volunteers to wear at themed events and they have been shown to excellent effect at the special Edwardian Days in the house.
In addition to the enjoyment of creating the costumes, there is also the opportunity to interact with the many visitors who come into the workshop. Many have been keen to know where the designs originate, and details of the materials used. The Edwardian hand-operated Singer sewing machine is often a cause for comment and children love to try it out; often making a simple object to take away with them.