Saffron Day
Sunday 16 October 2022
Saffron comes from the saffron crocus, Crocus Sativus. The word Saffron originally derives from the arabic word for yellow. From ancient times Saffron has been prized as a rich yellow dye, for its fabled medicinal powers and for its intense colour, flavour and aroma in cookery. It is still the world's most expensive spice.
The purple flowers appear daily for about 3 weeks in late September and October. Saffron is produced by drying the three red-gold stigmas in the centre of the flower, the rest is discarded. It is propagated through dividing the corms. The plant is not native to Britain. Its origin is thought to be in Asia Minor.
On in the Market Square:
Click here for the full Saffron Day Programme
 Visit the Market Square for Saffron themed stalls. Curator Carolyn Wingfield will be on the Saffron Walden Heritage Development Stall sharing information about the museum with visitors.
On in the Museum:
On Sunday 16 October the museum will be open for extended hours between 11am and 5pm, the museum is playing host to a temporary exhibition of saffron themed items from its collections, but original saffron themed artwork by talented textile artist Eleanor Pye.
Saffron Crocus design on a wooden pargetting stamp (on display as an interactive in the museum's local history gallery)
Corms of the Saffron Crocus, grown in the old nursery garden of Mr Chater in 1886; his plant nursery was on land east of the road called Chaters Hill. On display for Saffron Day.
Saffron crocus illustration from the book Flora of Essex, originally published by George Stacey Gibson in 1862, on temporary display for Saffron Day.
Saffron Crocus theme carved door from Saffron Lodge, on temporary display for Saffron Day.
Eleanor Pye's Saffron Crocus themed artwork, "The Reawakening of Saffron" on temporary display for Saffron Day.
Saffron Crocus design on a Moorcroft vase in the Museum's ceramics gallery (on permanent display)
Saffron Crocus flowers decorate the borders of this town charter for Saffron Walden, which was granted by Henry VIII in 1514 (on permanent display in the museum's local history gallery, and on loan to the museum from Saffron Walden Town Council).
Shop Focus :
For sale in the Museum shop is this great publication, The Saffron Crocus: A Brief History at just £1.50 per copy.
Staff will also be on hand with our mystery object boxes this Sunday...can you work out what they were used for?
Website: www.saffronwaldenmuseum.org
Email: museum@uttlesford.gov.uk
Phone: 01799 510333
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