Gilbert White House & Museum, Selborne
Travelling through Hampshire, David and I broke our journey at the Gilbert White Museum, a delightfully rambling house dating from the 1500’s which hosts the collections of 3 explorers - Gilbert White and Frank and Lawrence Oates.
Rev. Gilbert White (1720-1793), naturalist, clergyman and writer, greatly influenced the development of the science of natural history and is known by many as the father of ecology. His collected letters to other naturalists form the ‘Natural History & Antiquities of Selborne,’ continuously in print since 1789.
This quirky, low-key venue yields more than meets the eye, rather like Gilbert White himself – a diminutive, unassuming clergyman whose quiet, consistent, methodical micro-explorations of the flora and fauna of his garden and local countryside enabled him to discover and describe the harvest mouse, noctule bat and field cricket as distinct species, along with many others.
Due to its geology, Selborne has an unusually wide variety of landscapes and habitats. Gilbert spent decades closely observing his local environment as he visited his parishioners on foot or on his favourite pony, ‘Mouse.’ His notes abound with deep affection for the natural world alongside scientific rigour.
He wrote of harvest mouse nests, ‘One of these I procured this autumn… perfectly round and about the size of a cricket ball … so compact and well filled that it would roll across the table without being discomposed though it contained 8 little mice that were naked and blind.’
I love his marvellously vivid description, evoking an image of dizzy little mouselings!
The upper floor is dedicated to the collections of uncle and nephew Frank and Lawrence Oates, who both lost their lives participating in scientific expeditions – Frank’s to Victoria Falls and Lawence’s to the South Pole with Captain Scott.
Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe. Image - Albrecht Fietz, Pixabay
The fascinating paraphernalia includes Frank’s wagon, clothing and tools, African cultural objects and many stuffed animals and birds.
Captain Lawrence Oates looked after the Siberian ponies on Scott’s ill-fated antarctic expedition. The superb, small exhibition about it was gripping and moving. I particularly liked the timeline of the expedition which placed Oates’ diary entries alongside Scott’s. Oates was the ‘gallant gentleman’ whose last words Scott recorded as, ‘I am just going outside and may be some time.’ But my favourite quote about him is ‘The soldier is very popular with all - a delightfully humorous cheery old pessimist.’ Scott’s diary 22/10/1911. What 3 words? Gritty, Curmudgeonly, Adventurer
The garden highlight has to be the ‘wine pipe seat’ which Gilbert constructed as a rotating hide. It’s a must-do experience for adults and children alike - but it made me feel very queasy!
Facilities include a shop, café and micro-brewery. If you’re out and about in Hampshire, the Gilbert White House and Garden is well worth a visit. Tickets are valid for a year.
