Richard Jefferies Museum

Richard Jefferies Museum A small community museum and gardens in the farmhouse where nature writer Richard Jefferies was born.

A small, community-run museum set in the old farmhouse where Victorian nature writer Richard Jefferies was born. As well as the museum, there is a tearoom, and wonderful gardens with a nature trail, wooded picnic area, an orchard, vegetable plots, and a thousand places for children to run about and hide. The museum holds regular events for families, as well as writing classes, poetry events, and opportunities for local people to come and get involved.

The Richard Jefferies Museum Trust is a volunteer-run charity, and we do want to thank all the people who give their tim...
01/06/2026

The Richard Jefferies Museum Trust is a volunteer-run charity, and we do want to thank all the people who give their time to run this (small but mighty) place!

Wonderful Sunday afternoon with Tawanda Mapanda playing live.
31/05/2026

Wonderful Sunday afternoon with Tawanda Mapanda playing live.

Pre-booked places for the Nature Tots session this morning are now full - we do have a limited number of walk-in spaces....
28/05/2026

Pre-booked places for the Nature Tots session this morning are now full - we do have a limited number of walk-in spaces...

Capacity limits are in place for everyone's safety, comfort, and enjoyment. Please be aware of weather forecasts and be prepared for hot and sunny weather!

THE GRASS & TIME SOUNDSCAPE LECTURENational Meadows Day at Richard Jefferies MuseumSaturday 4th July 2026. Afternoon Eve...
28/05/2026

THE GRASS & TIME SOUNDSCAPE LECTURE

National Meadows Day at Richard Jefferies Museum

Saturday 4th July 2026. Afternoon Event (2pm-4.30pm)

Join Grasslands for an unusual afternoon of ecology, music and deep time in the gardens of Richard Jefferies Museum to celebrate National Meadows Day.

Part live performance, part environmental lecture and part evolving sound experience, The Grass & Time Soundscape Lecture tells the extraordinary story of grasses, one of the most successful groups of organisms ever to exist.

Across an immersive live presentation, ecologist and musician Tom Haynes (Grasslands) traces the rise of grasses from the age of dinosaurs through shifting climates, expanding grasslands, evolving mammals and ultimately the emergence of human civilisation itself.

Rather than a conventional talk, the journey is accompanied throughout by live loops, drones, environmental sound, field recordings, evolving rhythms and original music performed in real time.

Expect moments of atmosphere and reflection alongside sections with more movement, pulse and intensity as the story unfolds across millions of years.

The afternoon continues with an open discussion around grasslands, wildlife, conservation and creativity before closing with a short Grasslands live performance.

Programme:
🌾 The Grass & Time Soundscape Lecture (45–60 mins)
A live ecological lecture-performance exploring the evolutionary history of grasses through music, environmental sound and live looping.

🌾 Questions from the Meadow (15 mins)
Open Q&A and discussion around grasslands, wildlife, conservation, environmental change and working in nature.

🌾 Grasslands Live (30 mins)
A closing set of ambient and experimental music inspired by landscapes, field recordings and changing environments.

There may also be informal opportunities afterwards to discuss electronic music, field recording, live looping and creative approaches to experiencing the natural world.

Part of National Meadows Day.

It's free entry and you can reserve tickets at the link on the event page.

Photos of Grasslands by .liddiard.photography

"No modern exotic evergreens ever attract our English birds like the true old English trees and shrubs... The common haw...
20/05/2026

"No modern exotic evergreens ever attract our English birds like the true old English trees and shrubs... The common hawthorn hedge round a country garden shall contain three times as many nests, and be visited by five times as many birds, as the foreign evergreens, so costly to rear and so sure to be killed by the first old-fashioned frost."
The Story of My Heart

Photos of wildflowers in our garden, taken just this Monday!

15/05/2026

Looking for an evening of creativity, networking, and local talent? 🤔

After the huge success of our first Network of Art event, Sinister Solutions and Evil Empire Marketing are excited to bring you another evening celebrating Swindon’s creative community.

Join us on Friday 5th June from 5pm at the beautiful Richard Jefferies Museum - the perfect setting to connect with local businesses while enjoying inspiring artwork from talented local artists.

This event will showcase Judee Tree Art and Morgan G Makes, a fantastic mother-and-son duo whose work has featured in major projects including Swindon’s Big Dog Art Trail.

🎨 Local art exhibition
🤝 Networking opportunities
🥂 Bubbly & BBQ
🎟 FREE tickets

Grab your free ticket today: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/network-of-art-tickets-1988902497911?aff=oddtdtcreator

Address

Marlborough Road
Swindon
SN36AA

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 12:30pm
Thursday 10am - 12:30pm

Telephone

+447768917466

Website

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