When was the last time you paid for something with a halfpenny? That’s right...half of a penny! Never?

Many of the items in the collection at Agecroft Hall are from England. But England was becoming increasingly connected with the wider world during the Early Modern Period, and several objects in the collection reflect that.

Wealth in Tudor England took up space. Much of a wealthy family's money would be valued in gold and silver “plate” (plates and serving pieces), cutlery and candlesticks.

Not all of the artifacts we have at Agecroft can be on display all of the time. When objects are on view in the house, they are part of a larger interpretive story that we are trying to tell.

Turning milk into butter is a skill that we believe dates to 2000 BCE, and is also mentioned in the Bible. The butter churn itself may date to 700 CE based on archeological evidence.

One of the plainest items we have in our handling collection is our chamber pot. But chamber pots served an important function of everyday life.

At Agecroft Hall, we have a few sets of armor. In the Long Gallery Leading into the house and in the Gentlemen’s Study, we have armor from the time period.