New display - the Pyrke collection

Painting of Thomas Pyrke

The Pyrkes were an eminent family who lived at Littledean Hall from the 1600s to the 1800s. They were heavily involved in affairs of the Forest of Dean as Verderers & Justices of the Peace. Nathaniel and Thomas Pyrke were JPs and Verderers and very important men of influence. The Verderers in the Forest of Dean have been in existence since at least 1218. They were charged with protecting the vert and venison, elected by the freeholders of Gloucestershire and served for life. Verderers are still in existence today in the Forest of Dean.

The family seat of the Pyrke family was Dean Hall at Littledean, purchased in 1664 by Thomas Pyrke of Abenhall. In the early nineteenth century, the Pyrke family gave up their ancestral home at Littledean Hall. Some items from Dean Hall were sent to Canada to a Pyrke relative in Canada, which were inherited by  George Pyrke Powers. His wife, Pauline Powers, acting on the wishes of her late husband, recently donated the entire collection to the Dean Heritage Centre. We are very grateful for their generosity.

The collection includes 3 important paintings; the importance of the paintings lies in the characters they represent. The paintings include a portrait of Nathaniel Pyrke by the Circle of John Hayles, 1651-1679, a portrait of Thomas Pyrke by John Verelst, 1698-1734 and a portrait of Dorothy Pyrke by John Verelst, 1698-1734. The collection also consists of wooden cabinets, an enigmatic portrait of a priest, silverware, watercolours by Reginald Pyrke and photographs of Dean Hall and the Pyrke family.

A selection of these items will be on display from Saturday, 29^th November onwards.