OKEHAMPTON’S Museum of Dartmoor Life welcomed visitors over the Platinum Jubilee weekend to an exhibition showcasing local people’s royal memorabilia.

More than 180 people came to see ‘A Right Royal Exhibition on the Friday and Saturday of the Jubilee weekend to what is the museum’s first community co-curated event.

Artefacts on display included a very special selection of items the late Ted Hughes’ time as Poet Laureate, including a never before seen poem which was written for Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

The poet lived at nearby North Tawton and the artefacts were lent by his widow Carol, who herself visited the exhibition.

Carol Hughes said: ‘Choosing the items for this exhibition brought back many happy memories of events during Ted’s laureateship and beyond, and also of the honours bestowed on him by HM The Queen, as well as the warm friendship of the Queen Mother and the Prince of Wales to us both.

‘When I read that the Museum of Dartmoor Life was preparing an exhibition to mark the Jubilee, it seemed the perfect venue for these mementoes, which tell something of Ted’s links to Her Majesty and her family.’

Museum manager Kristy Turner said she hugely appreciated the work that had gone into what was a huge community event.

‘It has been wonderful to work with community partners such as Okehampton Town Council, Dartmoor Prison Museum, the Okehampton Rainbows and Brownie packs, The Woolly Beader, the Oak Tree Network and Carol Hughes and the Ted Hughes Estate, as well as members of the public, who have all generously loaned us items to help create this exhibition,’ she said.

‘After all everyone has been through over the last couple of years it is amazing to come together and celebrate such an important historic event as a community. There really is something for everyone to see, from the sublime to the ridiculous!’

There is a great deal of memorabilia from various coronations and jubilees with first hand accounts of visits to Buckingham Palace.

There is also some fabulous artwork, photographs and information and even a knitted tea party displayed on an original embroidered tablecloth. Overseeing all this is a lifesize cardboard cutout of the Queen herself, with visitors enjoying having their photo taken with her.

For the younger visitors there is a trail around the museum called ‘The Queen’s Hat’, royal-themed colouring sheets and many children were busy making their own crowns to wear over the weekend.

The exhibition will run until mid September so there is still plenty of time for the rest of the community and visitors to come and enjoy it.