Kendal Museum Presents Crosby Garrett Roman Helmet Talk
Dot Boughton, Portable Antiquities Finds Liaison Officer for Cumbria, is to give a special free talk at Kendal Museum on Friday 1 October, at 7.30pm, uncovering the story of how the rarest Roman helmet to be found in Britain in over a century was found and what happened next.
Dot will explain how the Crosby Garrett Roman Helmet was found in a Cumbrian farmer’s field near Kirkby Stephen by a metal detectorist and the journey that will end up with it under the hammer at a London auction next month.
Dot’s talk will take in the controversy over the story of the Cumwhitton burial and the Tullie House campaign to raise funds to buy the Crosby Garret Helmet and keep it in Cumbria.
There are only two other comparable helmets known in the UK and neither of these is as complete or elaborate as the Cumbrian example, that is a Roman copper-alloy, two-piece, face-mask visor helmet. This type of mask is characterised by idealised (Greek) youthful male faces, mostly clean-shaven, with luxuriant curly and wavy hair.
The helmet was found in nearly 70 fragments and was cleaned and restored by Christie’s auction house, before being examined by the British Museum.
Tullie House Museum have launched a campaign Keep it in Cumbria to raise funds to bid for the helmet when it goes to auction on 7 October. Dot Boughton said: “This is an absolutely fantastic find. As Finds Liaison Officer for the area I know the finder and the place where the helmet was found quite well. On Friday I will talk about Tullie House’s incredibly hard work in raising funds for the auction and what we may be able to do if we can’t raise enough money.
Dot Boughton’s talk will be held at Kendal Museum on Friday 1 October at 7.30pm and will last about an hour and a half. Places are limited to 40, so you are advised to book your place by calling Kendal Museum on 01539 815597 or emalling info@kendalmuseum.org.uk
Kendal Museum: Kendal, Station Rd, LA9 6BT
Tel: 01539 815597
www.kendalmuseum.org.uk
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Every effort should be made to ensure that this wonderful example of a Roman helmet should not leave the shores of the country. Such a superb artefact should remain here so that people may see a part of their own history.