The Abbey Museum is an historical tourist attraction with Queensland's most extensive collection of Medieval costumes and artefacts.
The Museum provides teachers and educators for in-house programs, for school programs, and for excursions.
The annual festival in July is the main fund-raiser, and is attended by tens of thousands of people. In 1984 three hundred people attended; in 2014, the 25th festival, thirty thousand attended. That is hundredfold.
In 2015, this will be Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th July.
The Abbey is at Abbey Pl, off Toorbul Rd. See Map 409 E7, & Map 429 F1 (in the Caboolture Pocket Book).
Ph 5495 1652 for more info.
History On Show
The Museum shows some of the 500,000 years of pre-human and human history. See the world of ancient hunters, the first farmers, the combining of copper and tin to make bronze. The next era is the rise of the Roman Empire from Romulus and Remus, the Roman invasion of Briton under Caesar, the Saxon invasion of England in the 450's, and the later Norman invasion in 1066. Leaving the middle, or medieval, ages, the museum covers the start of the modern ages, or the Renaissance period. Perhaps they'll get to today's start of the Enlightenment period.
Who has learnt the famous statement of Julius Caesar after forming his colony of Briton: Veni, Vidi, Vici or I came, I saw, I conquered.
See the Industrial revolution and then cross into the ancient and classical works of the Middle East and China. While most of Europe was plunged into the anti-knowledge era of the Dark Ages, and the still low-knowledge era of the Middle Ages, China was making huge strides with some 3/4 of the World economy. This means a lot to us today as China is about to overtake the USA to once again be the world's biggest economy.
The Festival
This next section shows the annual festival in photos. (After this is some more interesting information about the running of the Abbey Museum.)
Most of these photos were taken on Sunday 13th July 2014 by Nevenka Golc-Clarke of Pocket Books.
The cannon is ready to fire.
The ladies look on.
The ladies above have disappeared under the cannon's smoke.
The smoke has cleared.
Medieval Dance Competition
Life is a bit short on the battlefield.
The victors with shields and armour.
The last two standing take on a new battle.
Luckily, they were actors, and rose again.
Sometimes a wizard is needed.
A battering-ram, and a catapult.
A Dog's Life !! Roof, servant, bed, shawl, and … tree at rear.
Churros and Cornish Pastries
Processing steer hides into leather.
Even the children have period clothes, next to the Crusade Boat.
Draughts
The Castle
High Tea at the Raj
Swords and chainmail
Acrobatics
One legged on a shoulder
Strength and talent
Jousting
The Romani people.
The Shuvani of Spain from North India.
The gypsy caravan lifestyle only applies to about 5% of the Romani people. Most live in ordinary homes with ordinary professionals and trades.
The Medieval stove
The Page and The Knight
Coming Main Events
The Abbey Museum, in conjunction with Our Village Foundation, organised a major Jousting Competition at the Queensland State Equestrian Centre at Tuckeroo Dv Caboolture, Map 407 F6, in November 2014.
The usual jousting tournaments will be held this year at The Abbey for Saturday 11th July and Sunday 12th July, 2015. Ph 5495 1652 for tickets.
The Abbey has medieval banquets arranged for Saturday 27th June, and Saturday 4th July 2015, at The Abbey Place Ningi. (Map 409 E7, and Map 429 F1) Ph 5495 1652 for tickets.
News
The Abbey Museum is actively involved in research.
In January 2015 Abbey held a full day class, in association with Turnstone Archaeology, about Aboriginal archaeology and the impact of European settlement.
Over the last ten years, the Abbey has been progressively restoring their stained glass windows, and their leadlight glass collection.
Some $165,000 has been needed to be raised with the goal 80% complete, including one donation of around $20,000 from the Copland Foundation.
Manuscripts
The museum holds many ancient and old manuscripts. These can be viewed at the side gallery from Monday to Saturday from 10 am till 4 pm.
Church and School
The Abbey is also a church and a school.
This is the Gregorian Chant held in November each year in the lead-up to Christmas.
The Brisbane Choir, Schola Cantorum, often is at the Abbey to usher in the church season of Advent.
Above is one of several windows rom the Winchester Cathedral in England.
Angels from on High
Ancient Parts
Some parts of Abbey's collection are ancient.
This iron horse bit, 135mm across, dates back 2,700 years. Talented metal workers of Luristan crafted it from the wild Zagos Mountains in the western part of modern Iran.
Trekking with the Curator
Quite often the Abbey's senior curator will lead a group of Abbey friends into the wilds seeking knowledge.
In August 2014, a bus went to 'Durundur', the first sheep run in the district, just near Woodford, looking at historical sights.
Durundur St Woodford (map 337 C7) and Durundur Ln Peachester (map 295 A7) are reminders of our woollen past.
The Future
Much is planned. In the next year or two, the art gallery will be extended, and a coffee shop added.
Gerry Clarke B.PED