Cotswold Chatterblog

A month-long exhibition which looks at historic shoes and footwear fairytales will open at the Corinium Museum, Cirencester on Sunday January 20th.

‘Cinderella Shoes’ will showcase 200-year-old silk shoes with gorgeous gold-coloured buckles; huge protective boots from Victorian times; funky and chunky Seventies platform shoes and tiny baby bootees from 1900.

The fabulous footwear comes from the Museum’s own collection and that of local collector Shelagh Lovett-Turner.

Alongside the exhibits are big, shoe-inspired collages made by children from Acorns Day Nursery, Bright Eyes Children’s Centre, Cirencester Opportunity Group and Stepping Stones Nursery.

The toddlers all met the Museum’s Education Officer Rachael Holtom, who showed them some of the old shoes, played shoe-inspired games with them and told a story that involved shoes. The children then created their own artwork inspired by shoes and shoe stories.

Rachael said: “There are quite a few stories and rhymes that involve shoes – ‘The Elves and the Shoemaker’, ‘Puss in Boots’, ‘One, Two, Buckle My Shoe’ and so on.

“The children have all produced fantastic artwork and really enjoyed looking at the old shoes and the shoe activities that their nurseries organised.”

The footwear on display is grouped into fairytale themes, under the story headings. There will also be hands-on activities for small children, such as decorating a shoe outline with buttons and buckles, shoes to try on and a chance to measure their own feet .

For adults, there are also ‘lucky charm’ shoes to look at, which were hidden under floors in the past in an attempt to stop witches entering homes. Visitors can also find out how the humble boot played a part in female emancipation, why shoes were not always made to fit the left and right foot and see a small selection of cobbler’s tools.

The exhibition runs from Sunday January 20th to Sunday 24th February and entrance costs £1. For opening times and more information, please phone 01285 655611.

Source: Cotswold District Council

Tags: museum | cirencester | shoes | history | exhibition

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