The Panacea Museum

01/06/2026

Thursday 4th June:
The Museum will open later, from 1pm. This is due to staff training. We apologies for any inconvenience caused.

01/06/2026

On this day... In 1889
Mabel Andrews and Arthur Barltrop were married. They moved to Bedford around 1905, with their four children Eric, Ivan, Adrian and Dilys.

28/05/2026

Opening Friday 6th June, an exciting new art exhibit with Beds Urban Sketchers

Credits L-R, clockwise:

'Number 6 - Dilys Barltrop', soft sculpture, Helen Jones
section from 'Garden of Eden - Panacea Museum', Lesley Jones
'Sir Jack Daw', Una Buckley
detail from 'Spring in Eden', Christine Pugh

27/05/2026

On this day... in 1957.
Joanna Southcott's Box of Prophecies arrived at Castleside, from a Mrs Maud Jowett.
The Box had been bequeathed by her late husband Cecil Jowett to the Panacea Society.

23/05/2026

Our Director recently made a research visit to the Harry Price Library at the University of London. In June 1927 Harry Price, psychic researcher and member of the Society for Psychical Research, opened a box. Price believed this sealed box had belonged to Joanna Southcott the prophetess who was active from 1792 until her death in 1814. Southcott received visions which she believed were messages from God. These messages or prophecies were written down and some sealed into a box. Within this box was said to be instructions that would help England in a time of great crisis. The Panacea society and others campaigned for Southcott's Box of Prophecies to be opened.

In 1927 Price received a box which he established had belonged to Southcott and first had the box X-rayed and then in front of an assembly opened it. Inside were found items from the 1790s into the 1800s, but no prophecies.

Inside the box was a lottery ticket dated 1796, presumably not a winning one as it was not turned in. And a ticket printed on the River Thames on February 3rd, 1814. This was the date of the last Frost Fair held on the River Thames. In the past the River has frozen over during the winter well enough for fairs to be held on the ice. The last one was held in February 1814. Also pictured is a puzzle game sometimes called the Devil's Needle, and a yellow silk and net nightcap with stars in the decoration. There were other items found too including a pistol, some coins and religious pamphlets.
This box may have belonged to Southcott or one of her followers, but it was certainly not The Box of Joanna's Sealed Writings.

With special thanks to the team at Senate House Library.

21/05/2026

Thank you to everyone that came along to make Spring Wreaths and jar lanterns with Anne-Marie Abbate / Artist !

Upcoming art events:
Printing at the Panacea, linoprinting, 27th June
Beginners Urban Sketching- 4th July
Urban Sketchers public drawing day- 25th July
Family join-in, making sculptures- 9th August

21/05/2026

https://panaceatrust.org/about/jobs
Now recruiting- The Panacea Charitable Trust are looking for a fixed-term Archivist

Welcome to the Panacea Museum and Panacea Charitable Trust where you can find out more about history and influences of The Panacea Society.

17/05/2026

Drama above the Garden today, as a buzzard came over a little too low. Our resident crow sounded the alarm and was soon joined by gulls. The crow returned to the garden, and the gulls made sure the buzzard moved on.
It's unusual to see a buzzard low over the garden, sometimes they are high above but red kites are seen frequently, and we do get the occasional sparrow hawk.

15/05/2026

Did you come along to our traditional printing session last month? You can pop along to our Castleside building during Museum opening hours if you would like to collect your piece.
Watch this space for news of our next demo / have a go session.