A new book has been launched about Haslemere’s history as a centre for rural arts and crafts.

Entitled Rustic Renaissance: The Haslemere Peasant Arts Movement, the book by Catherine Eyre focuses on the ‘peasant artists’ who worked at Foundry Meadow around the turn of the century and their unique take on Arts and Crafts ideals.

Haslemere mayor Jacquie Keen attended the book launch event at Haslemere Museum, along with author Catherine Eyre, who is a local resident and blogger.

They were joined by the museum’s chairman and curator, as well as collections officer Robert Neller and researcher Jo-Anne Buckrell, who helped edit the book.

Haslemere Museum is holding an accompanying exhibition, which showcases its collection of ‘peasant art’ pieces from the time, and runs until March 25.

Rustic Renaissance: The Haslemere Peasant Arts Movement, by Catherine Eyre, focuses on the ‘peasant artists’ who worked at Foundry Meadow around the turn of the century
Rustic Renaissance: The Haslemere Peasant Arts Movement, by Catherine Eyre, focuses on the ‘peasant artists’ who worked at Foundry Meadow around the turn of the century (Haslemere Museum)

The author is kindly donating the proceeds of the book sale to support the care of the museum’s local peasant art collection.

Priced at £10, the book is available to buy from the museum shop and via the museum’s website, as well as from The Haslemere Book Shop. 

In addition to the book and exhibition, Jo-Anne Buckrell will give a talk on the subject at the museum on January 24 – tickets via the museum’s website haslemeremuseum.co.uk

Other upcoming events at Haslemere Museum this month include exhibition Recording The Landscape: The Art Of Sir Archibald Geikie (January 10 to March 31), and for children there is a Terrific Toys event (January 13), and story-telling session The Gingerbread Man (January 27).