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Family historians are missing out!

Posted by: Blog Administrator on Jan 28, 2012

We get a great many visitors passing through our doors, honing in on those invaluable parish registers, wills, non-conformist records etc. Some venture further, taking a look at what else the History Centre has to offer, but for many, little do they realise that they are missing out on some essential information – the contextual evidence that brings life to those ancestors they are searching so long and hard to find.

The Wiltshire Local Studies Collection is a unique resource available at the History Centre which can do just that. I have searched the shelves to give you just a taste of what is on offer if you have a little extra time to look whilst you are here. If not, many of our books are available to loan via your local library, all you need to do is put in a request.

Memoirs

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The Civil War comes to Chippenham

Posted by: Blog Administrator on Jun 15, 2011

A re-enactment event is being staged in Monkton Park, Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th June (11am – 5pm). With this in mind, I have delved into the Local Studies Library to arm you with further information regarding exactly what occurred in Chippenham during the Civil War period.

 
Map of Chippenham, mid to late 17th century
Ref: 118/53


Tony MacLachlan has written an excellent account in his book ‘The Civil War in Wiltshire’, which is well worth looking at, and is the basis for the information provided here.  



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Congratulations Wiltshire Museums

Posted by: Blog Administrator on Oct 9, 2010

Tagged in: www.purtonmuseum.com/ , www.marketlavingtonmuseum.org.uk/ , www.katrust.org/ , www.chippenham.gov.uk/museum--heritage-centre.aspx , Wiltshire museums , Trowbridge Museum , The Kennet & Avon Canal Museum , shopping centre , Shires , sewers , schoolmaster’s house , schoolchildren , Salisbury & South Wiltshire Museum , Purton Museum , Purton Historical Society , Newbury , national importance , medieval items , Market Place , Market Lavington Village Museum , Library , Kings House , http://marketlavingtonmuseum.wordpress.com/ , http://marketlavingtonmuseum.wordpress.com/ , Home Mills , headquarters , drainage channels , Devizes Wharf , Congratulations , community groups , collections , church , church , Chippenham Museum & Heritage Centre , celebrate , cathedral close , canal trust , blog , Bath , archaeology , anniversaries , 25th anniversary , 20th anniversary , 2010 , 200 years , .salisburymuseum.org.uk/

2010 is a significant year for several of Wiltshire’s museums, as they celebrate anniversaries of one sort or another.

To give you a reminder of some of the fantastic museums and collections on our doorstep here in Wiltshire, here is a rundown of the 2010 celebrations:

 Medieval chess piece
Medieval chess piece
Salisbury & South Wiltshire Museum




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Meet the Middle Ages....

Posted by: Blog Administrator on Sep 14, 2010

Tagged in: Wiltshire , visit , victims , Tudors , tour , theme , Terry , teams , strong rooms , staff , seal , Saturday 25 September , Richard the Lionheart , research facilities , replica sword , quiz , prize , pox-ridden , Planning , performers , peasant , musicians , Middle Ages , microfiche , Medieval Open Day , Medieval , logitistical exercise , Library , Labs , knights , Investigate , ills , History Centre. , History Centre , helmet , Hedge Witch , guest , fun , free , film , documents , display , demonstrations , day out , cure , creative writing , costumes , conserved , computers , castles , broadsword , Black Death , behind the scene , Arts team , artefacts , armour , Archives & local Studies Manager , Archives , Archaeologists , annual , all the family , activity , activities , 10 am - 4 pm

Medieval Open Day

Saturday 25 September

10 am - 4 pm

Please 'read more' to find out which fun and free activities are on offer this year...



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Tudor Open Day, Saturday 26 September

Posted by: Blog Administrator on Sep 19, 2009

Tagged in: Wroughton , writing , Wiltshire Victoria County History , Wiltshire Buildings Record , Tudor theme , Tudor Open Day , Tudor objects , Tudor documents , tour , The Other Boleyn Girl , Terry Bracher , strong rooms , shooting with a longbow , Seymour family , Science Museum Archives , Scarlett Johannson. , Saturday 26 September , quiz , quill pen , Objects , Museums Advisory Team , Mary Rose , marriage deed of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour , looking behind the scenes , life onboard , Library , history of houses , History Centre , Henry VIII’s flagship , handle artefacts over 250 , Great Chalfield Manor , glass painting , family tree , family activities , exhibition , craft activities for children , conserved , Archives and Local Studies Manager , Archaeology Team , 1300 , 10 am - 4 pm , 000 years old

10 am - 4 pm, Free Admission

Hello, my name is Terry Bracher and I am the Archives and Local Studies Manager at the History Centre. This month some of my time has been spent preparing for our annual Open Day on Saturday 26th September. This will be our third Open Day; the first two saw over 1300 visitors come to the Centre to enjoy looking behind the scenes and take part in our family activities.

 This Deed of Properties given to Jane Seymour by Henry VIII will be available to view on the Open Day
This Deed of Properties given to Jane Seymour by Henry VIII will be one of those on show 

So what is happening this year? Well, there will be lots of fun activities with a Tudor theme. Find out about life on Henry VIII’s flagship the Mary Rose. Members of the crew will be on hand to tell you about life onboard and there will be lots of objects and costume to see (and try on!).  Will you hit the target at one of the king’s favourite pastimes, shooting with a longbow? (Small charge for this activity). See real Tudor documents from our archives, including the marriage deed of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, and a family tree of the Seymour family twenty feet long (Steve, one of our archivists, has the job of unfolding this!). How much do you know about Henry’s Wiltshire connections? Try our quiz and find out. Can you identify Tudor objects with our Museums Advisory Team?

Take a behind the scenes tour of our strong rooms to see how the archives are stored. Visit the labs to watch objects and archives being conserved. Have a go at glass painting or writing with a quill pen, or some of our other craft activities for children. Read on to find out what else is happening....

 







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