The Box is a major cultural and heritage attraction and archive, which opened in Plymouth’s city centre in September 2020. Its collection, formally the South West Film and Television Archive (SWFTA), is the regional film archive for the South West of England, comprising the combined programme libraries of Westward Television and Television South West (TSW). It also includes a significant number of donated film collections dating back to the early 1890s.
This film is part of Free
Shire horses' Competition in Minehead
Shire horses compete and farmers compare furrows
From the collection of:
Overview
A duo of shire horses plough a field in the traditional manner. Shire horses have tirelessly served man for centuries, in battle, on the land and in transporting goods. The term Shire horse was first used in the 17th Century and they are bred to be large and strong. Primarily they are used as cart horses moving goods from the docks into the countryside and traditionally for delivering ale to public houses.
In 1878 the British organisation the Shire Horse Society was founded originally as the English Cart Horse Society. Shire horses were exported to the USA but due to WWII and the increase in mechanisation the need to draft horses fell and the 1950s and 1960s saw the lowest numbers of shire horses in both the UK and US. The Shire horse has won many awards for being both the largest and tallest breed. They normally stand at 17 hands in height but in 1848 a shire horse named Mammoth stood at 21.2 hands.
Related
Watch for free
Wish You Were Here at Butlins Minehead Wish You Were Here at Butlins Minehead
News 1966 6 mins Location: Minehead
Clive Gunnell takes Mrs Sotherton on a convincing tour of Butlins Minehead.
Watch for free
Butlin's opens at Minehead Butlin's opens at Minehead
News 1962 3 mins Silent Location: Minehead
Billy Butlin expands his empire by opening a new resort at Minehead.
Watch for free
Minehead - 1932 - Osborne Personal Film Minehead - 1932 - Osborne Personal Film
Amateur film 1932 45 mins Silent Location: Minehead
A Somerset holiday with prolific amateur cinematographers the Tigg family
Watch for free
Horse Ploughing Competition Horse Ploughing Competition
Current affairs 1963 1 mins Silent Location: Minehead
Competition for trailing heavy horse drawn equipment enthuses ploughmen
Watch for free
Cheddar Cheddar
Travelogue 1916 1 mins Silent Location: Cheddar Gorge
Pure tranquillity in rural Somerset, a world away from the war raging on the continent.
Watch for free
Minehead Town's Bob Boyd Interview Minehead Town's Bob Boyd Interview
Non-Fiction 1977 2 mins Location: Minehead
Minehead Town's player-manager Bob Boyd on FA Cup tie with Exeter City
Watch for free
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Watch for free
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Watch for free
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Watch for free
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.
Watch for free
New Perspectives: Oldboy New Perspectives: Oldboy
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Discover why Dan George of Northumbria University believes everyone should experience Oldboy at least once.
Watch for free
New Perspectives: Wings of Desire New Perspectives: Wings of Desire
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Trixie Parkin-Christie of Northumbria University offers fresh insight into why Wings of Desire remains essential viewing.