Roger Brown's Model of Victorian Winchester finds a home at City Museum - TrustNews July 17
After a quest lasting many years to find it a fitting home, the model of Victorian Winchester by former town planning officer Roger Brown has found a new home at Winchester City Museum.
Measuring over 15 feet and made up of 20 component parts, the impressive scale model is based on the first Ordnance Survey map of the city from 1873. It took Roger Brown nine years to create following his retirement from Hampshire County Council. Since its completion in the 1980s, the model has been on temporary display at a number of locations in and around Winchester, but this is the first time it has been given a longer-term home following an initiative led by Winchester Town Forum with the support of Hampshire Cultural Trust.
The project received significant funding from Hampshire County Council, Winchester City Council, Winchester Town Forum, and the City of Winchester Trust.
It has undergone extensive restoration by HCT’s highly-skilled conservation team, and has been brought to life by new digital interpretation including interactive tablets and a film. Working with the objects on display in the museum, the model tells the story of Winchester, orientating visitors by taking them through the Victorian streets and introducing them to the city’s rich heritage from King Alfred to Jane Austen. The model has been installed following extensive refurbishment of the museum’s ground floor.
Janet Owen, Chief Executive of Hampshire Cultural Trust, commented:
“The Roger Brown model is a unique record of our city in Victorian times. I am sure it will inspire many new visitors to come to City Museum, and will provide a fascinating introduction to the city. Hampshire Cultural Trust is delighted to be able to provide the home for this extraordinary work - made by a man with real vision and love for the heritage of Winchester and who also had a real grasp of history and an incredible eye for detail. People are going to be amazed and inspired!”
