This isn't a photo of Croome either, but rather Canons Ashby, another NT property.
I was there yesterday to find out a bit more about the shoe project they've been doing, in collaboration with the Northampton Museum and Art Gallery (who have the biggest shoe collection in the world). This is part of the Cinderella Syndrome project, looking at how to exhibit shoes in museum-type settings.
Unsurprisingly, perhaps, visitors have responded very well, as shoes are meaningful to all of us. They're practical but personal, and are often a means for expression of individual personality. The imprint of the wearer's foot inside, and signs of wear outside, hint at both the presence of an individual in the world and their story - who they are, where they've been and what they've done.
As well as Jane Seddon and Rebecca Shawcross from the museum, I also met Ellen Sampson, a shoe designer, lecturer at the RCA, and freelance curator. As we're just about to start a project around shoes at Croome, these were all very useful contacts to make. I wonder whether we can can find a way to fund a resident shoe-maker for six months...
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