WILTSHIRE Museum in Devizes has just received a teapot with a fascinating history on loan and it will be on display until February 15.

The Tibetan teapot was given to Sir Merton Russell Cotes co-founder of the Russell Cotes Art Gallery and Museum by the soldier, explorer, mountaineer, writer and Spiritualist Lieutenant Colonel Francis Younghusband in 1889.

Tea is central to Tibetan culture where it is traditionally drunk with Yak butter. For centuries the Tibetans traded horses for tea with the Chinese importing thousands of tons of it per year.

Younghusband explored the Himalayas as part of the rivalry between Britain and Russia known as The Great Game. In 1903-4 he led a controversial and bloody military expedition into Tibet to force the signature of a treaty to keep it out Russian of influence. Regretting his actions Younghusband became interested in Spiritualism and wrote extensively on the subject. He later became involved in the British attempts to climb Everest.

Sir Merton and his wife Annie collected items related to famous or infamous people and used them to attract visitors to their luxurious Bournemouth hotel, the Royal Bath and later what is now the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum.

Wiltshire museum director David Dawson said: "The spotlight loan scheme - each with a fascinating story to tell - aims to encourage our visitors and members to explore collections in the museums of the Wessex partnership."