Image: (left to right) Rick Brand of Bassetlaw Christian Heritage/Illuminate 400, Dr. K. David Weidner, Jane Lewis, Anna Scott, at the Scrooby Church
Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum Partners with Scrooby, England for the 400th Anniversary of the Mayflower Pilgrims’ Landing in Ptown
The Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum (PMPM) has formed a partnership with Bassetlaw District Council in Scrooby, England, where several Mayflower Pilgrims were from, including William Brewster. The partnership’s goal is to strengthen ties, both cultural and educational, between the two regions in conjunction with the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower landing in the New World in Provincetown Harbor in 1620.
PMPM Executive Director Dr. K. David Weidner has been working on the partnership since 2017 when the BBC Radio Nottingham visited Provincetown and conducted live broadcasts at the Monument. In July, Dr. Weidner visited two schools in the Bassetlaw District, St. Peter’s Church of England Primary School in Gringley-on-the-Hill and Sturton-le-Steeple School. During his recent visit, Dr. Weidner talked to students about the Mayflower Pilgrims.
“We have a great opportunity with the Bassetlaw District Council to develop long term connections and lasting memories with the Provincetown community,” said Dr. Weidner. “The goal of this project is to learn from each other through links to our respective schools that will benefit all of us not only for the 400th anniversary commemorations but also for years to come.”
Dr. Weidner will be working with Provincetown Schools to develop programs such as teacher exchanges, student interactions, and creating materials specific to teaching this important time in history.
During his July visit, Dr. Weidner met with Jane Lewis, the adviser to the Diocesan Schools for Southwell and Nottingham. In September 2017, Ms. Lewis heard Dr. Weidner’s interview on BBC Radio Nottingham from Provincetown, as he explained the significance of the Monument and why it was built to memorialize the Mayflower Pilgrims and their journey to seek freedom from religious persecution. She was inspired by Dr. Weidner’s interview when he said that there was a desire for Provincetown schools to partner with schools in Bassetlaw, so she got in touch with him.
Ms. Lewis said, “it’s not just about the story, but the lessons that are important today: tolerance, religious freedom; sanctuary etc., enabling school children to be citizens of the world into the future and learning from the lessons of the past.”
“The residents of the Bassetlaw District are just as passionate about the Mayflower Pilgrim history as we are here in Provincetown,” said Dr. Weidner. “This partnership gives us the opportunity to connect with the towns where the Pilgrims originated and learn how their story has impacted both communities over the last 400 years ”
Dedicated in 1910, the Monument commemorates the first landing of the Mayflower Pilgrims in Provincetown in 1620. Here they signed the historic Mayflower Compact, the first agreement to establish a government by the people in the ‘new world;’ which became the cornerstone of American democracy. They explored the Cape for five weeks before sailing on to Plymouth. At 252 feet, the Monument is an engineering marvel and the tallest granite tower in the United States. Visitors can climb the Monument’s 116 steps and 60 ramps at a leisurely pace and enjoy a breathtaking view of the entire Cape and visit our webcam for a live “View from the Top.” The Provincetown Museum at the base of the Monument presents engaging exhibitions of important chapters in our national heritage and the Town’s history and oversees Provincetown 400, the committee developing the commemorations for 2020, the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower voyage and landing in Provincetown. Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum is a non-profit educational, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. For more information visit pilgrim-monument.org.
