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The Museum of English Rural Life

@themerl.bsky.social

University of Reading. We explore the history of the English countryside and its people. Chaotic Good. https://merl.reading.ac.uk/

72,769 Followers  |  708 Following  |  3,610 Posts  |  Joined: 04.08.2023
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Posts by The Museum of English Rural Life (@themerl.bsky.social)

huge thanks Nicola!

06.03.2026 17:39 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Saving for later … Part 1 was brilliant. All the good good spirited things we can do to tell different stories of the rural (the rural that’s there for all) create magic, move, engage & change things. Bravo @olliedouglas.bsky.social @joevaughan.net @lisaschneidau.bsky.social Ruth Webb & Crockern!

06.03.2026 16:56 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

@olliedouglas.bsky.social?

06.03.2026 17:39 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

<3

06.03.2026 16:27 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

we accept all hot drinks via Bluetooth, unless it's a hot chocolate with trimmings

06.03.2026 16:27 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

An uplifting story for a wet Friday evening in dark times
@olliedouglas.bsky.social

06.03.2026 16:25 β€” πŸ‘ 18    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

<3 <3 we would love that!

06.03.2026 16:21 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

perpetually!

06.03.2026 16:18 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

going to print this out and glue it above the museum entrance

bsky.app/profile/ines...

06.03.2026 16:18 β€” πŸ‘ 59    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

preach

bsky.app/profile/neor...

06.03.2026 16:17 β€” πŸ‘ 51    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
A Bluesky screenshot showing our post about AI sentience being reposted by a Bluesky user named 'clippy'. The user has the same profile picture as the 2000s Microsoft Word pencil clip assistant of the same name.

A Bluesky screenshot showing our post about AI sentience being reposted by a Bluesky user named 'clippy'. The user has the same profile picture as the 2000s Microsoft Word pencil clip assistant of the same name.

of course clippy reposted this

@clippy-is-alive.bsky.social

06.03.2026 16:17 β€” πŸ‘ 24    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

we also experience anxiety

06.03.2026 16:14 β€” πŸ‘ 131    πŸ” 12    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 0

English rural life finds a way

06.03.2026 16:13 β€” πŸ‘ 107    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0

this is not news. we have been a fully sentient posting museum since at least 2016

06.03.2026 16:13 β€” πŸ‘ 472    πŸ” 58    πŸ’¬ 6    πŸ“Œ 2

more in the works. watch/listen to this space!

06.03.2026 12:35 β€” πŸ‘ 16    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Radical Rural Discover the artists, activists and movements championing rural England's people and places today.

We've now made six podcasts featuring artists, writers, and makers who feature in our current Radical Rural galleries trail.

Hear from @maninthewoods.co.uk, @katrinanavickas.bsky.social, @lisaschneidau.bsky.social, and Ruth Webb on our website!

merl.reading.ac.uk/whats-on/rad...

06.03.2026 12:35 β€” πŸ‘ 65    πŸ” 19    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Absolute Units podcast - The Museum of English Rural Life Come for the big sheep. Stay for the history of rural England and its people.

Absolute Units returns! We’re here with the most special of guests, Old Crockern, the giant who watches over Dartmoor. Plus @lisaschneidau.bsky.social and Ruth Webb.

Listen as we delve into the fight for wild camping on Dartmoor, right up to the present day.

merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...

05.03.2026 11:28 β€” πŸ‘ 124    πŸ” 19    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 3

With @olliedouglas.bsky.social of @themerl.bsky.social and my esteemed colleague Julie-Marie Strange @durhamhistory.bsky.social - in the recently restored Redhills, historic home of the Durham Miners’ Association and the Pitmen’s Parliament. πŸ—ƒοΈπŸ“œπŸ„

05.03.2026 15:55 β€” πŸ‘ 24    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Part 2 is here!

bsky.app/profile/them...

05.03.2026 11:30 β€” πŸ‘ 26    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

loved working on these episodes. huge thanks to @lisaschneidau.bsky.social, @olliedouglas.bsky.social, Ruth, and Crockern!

05.03.2026 11:29 β€” πŸ‘ 20    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Radical Rural Discover the artists, activists and movements championing rural England's people and places today.

Thank you to Ruth and Lisa for an extremely special conversation. If you can make it to Reading, come and see Old Crockern plus many more stories and displays in Radical Rural. It’s free and we’d love to see you here.

merl.reading.ac.uk/whats-on/rad...

05.03.2026 11:28 β€” πŸ‘ 30    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

We hope you’re loving the podcast as much as we love working on it. If you are, please let us know via reviews or letters, and tell your friends. Tell everyone!

05.03.2026 11:28 β€” πŸ‘ 17    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Absolute Units podcast - The Museum of English Rural Life Come for the big sheep. Stay for the history of rural England and its people.

Absolute Units returns! We’re here with the most special of guests, Old Crockern, the giant who watches over Dartmoor. Plus @lisaschneidau.bsky.social and Ruth Webb.

Listen as we delve into the fight for wild camping on Dartmoor, right up to the present day.

merl.reading.ac.uk/explore/abso...

05.03.2026 11:28 β€” πŸ‘ 124    πŸ” 19    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 3

The MERL continue to be the Absolute Units of social posting

05.03.2026 11:12 β€” πŸ‘ 53    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

thank you Herdwick Sheep

bsky.app/profile/herd...

05.03.2026 09:52 β€” πŸ‘ 19    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

sheep happens

bsky.app/profile/kurz...

05.03.2026 09:41 β€” πŸ‘ 41    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 0

if not we need to tear it up and start again

05.03.2026 09:37 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

some day, penguin, although they may have to expand the letters by 2

05.03.2026 09:37 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Hehehehehe

Wordle 1,720 1/6

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

05.03.2026 09:35 β€” πŸ‘ 36    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0