A unique bottle discovered in a wall during renovation works in Cleethorpes is starting the next step of its journey at the University of Lincoln.
The glass bottle, filled with liquid contents, was discovered as part of the National Lottery Heritage Townscape Heritage project (TH) at 35-37 Seaview Street.
During the early works to the property, excavations were being carried out at the rear of the building in preparation for building foundations of a new extension. Workers had to manually excavate an area, as it was too tight for a small digger to work in.
The bottle was retrieved from the property during a visit to the site by Carol Heidschuster, who is the TH project manager. In agreement with the building owners, the bottle has now been temporarily transferred to the Conservation of Cultural Heritage department at the University of Lincoln for preservation before more decisions regarding its future are made.
Objects that come into the Conservation of Cultural Heritage department are worked on by students who aim to study and conserve the objects. This is the same for the bottle, which requires cleaning, consolidation of the cork, and scientific and historical analysis to learn more about its origins.
For Zara Yeates, 32, the bottle was the only item she wanted to focus on. Originally from Winchester, Zara started the course as a mature student after always having a passion for historic objects.
After spending a number of years in retail, Zara’s love for cultural heritage grew after many visits to National Trust sites. Working at Hinton Ampner, a country house estate in Winchester, Zara got to know various departments, including those who maintained and restored the building and its contents.
Within a month, she’d decided to go to University to study Conservation of Cultural Heritage, and within two months, she was applying to Lincoln University.
When asked why she is so fond of Conservation, she said: “It’s about preserving items for future generations. I love learning about history and making sure people can learn about them for years to come.”
She added: “I first fell in love with conservation when I went to the Mary Rose on a school trip aged nine. From that moment on, it was something I have always been interested in.”
Throughout the course, Zara has worked with a range of materials from wood to ceramics. However, regardless of what the objects are made of, they all provide a certain intrigue. “Everything tells you something completely different.
“The mystery of the item when you first get it is what I really like, and the rarity of the bottle makes this project even better.”
“You seldom see a bottle with liquid in, never mind one with this much in. I’m relishing the opportunity to find out as much as I can about this unique object.”
Zara will be working on the bottle during her first term with the hopes of discovering what the liquid is and where the bottle came from.
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