Posted by: Blog Administrator
on Mar 19, 2011
Tagged in:
Wiltshire and Swindon Archives ,
Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre ,
wealth ,
topographical ,
Thomas Cruse ,
surveys ,
surveyed ,
street ,
schedule ,
researchers ,
repaired ,
parishes ,
parish office ,
parish ,
owners ,
occupiers ,
neglect ,
mounted ,
Modern ,
maps ,
map ,
manuscript ,
land surveyor ,
house ,
History Centre. ,
handling ,
field names ,
estates ,
drawn ,
discovery ,
cultivation ,
conserved ,
challenge ,
Calstone Wellington ,
Calne ,
Borough ,
Blackland ,
acreages ,
1828 ,
1827
WSA has a very large number of maps, from 16th-20th centuries, mainly manuscript surveys of individual parishes and estates. They come in various sizes, but one of the largest, was recently found in the attic of the parish office in Calne. Measuring 12 feet x 9 feet (3.6m x 2.75m), the equivalent of a good sized room in a modern house, it was so long that the only way to get it out of the house was for it to be lowered from a first floor window to the street below.
The map laid out on a row of tables
It is a beautifully drawn and accurately surveyed map of the parish of Calne also including Blackland and Calstone Wellington that was made by land surveyor Thomas Cruse in 1827 and 1828 at a scale of 20inches to the mile. The archive team at WSHC was alerted and brought it to the History Centre. It is a very important discovery because of the wealth of topographical information it provides about Calne more than 180 years ago. A copy of the schedule giving details of owners/occupiers field names, acreages and state of cultivation is held the archives as is the associated map of the borough. Years of neglect have taken its toll and the map cannot be available until it has been cleaned and conserved, although it is complete and there will virtually no loss of detail.
Detail of damage the map has sustained
It presents quite a challenge to the archive conservators as it is bigger that the vertical wall board on which maps are repaired, and will have to be repaired in sections. However, they are experienced in handling some large items, and once cleaned and mounted on a new cloth backing it will be available for researchers to use in the History Centre.
If you have enjoyed this article, the following entries may also be of interest:
The 200 Year Old Time Capsule
Why was Wiltshire 1st?
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Posted by: Blog Administrator
on Nov 3, 2009
Tagged in:
Work Experience ,
Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre. ,
volunteers ,
village ,
variety ,
unlock ,
treasure-hunting ,
townswomen’s guild have ,
telephone rings ,
team meeting ,
strong room ,
search room ,
research ,
public ,
profession ,
procedures ,
Principal Archivist ,
postal strike ,
post ,
photographs ,
past ,
paperwork ,
owner ,
mould-infected ,
local studies ,
local school ,
local hospital ,
local history ,
living records ,
legal case ,
late 19th and early 20th centuries ,
laptop ,
jigsaw puzzle ,
information ,
immediate action ,
heritage field ,
guest speaker ,
glimpse ,
front door ,
file ,
fictional ,
fascination ,
eager ,
e-mails ,
duties ,
drying room ,
donation ,
day in the life ,
database ,
data projector ,
Council staff ,
computer ,
community centre ,
collection ,
Claire Skinner ,
challenge ,
catalogue ,
Archivist ,
archives conservators ,
Archives ,
archive service ,
afternoon meeting ,
accessioning ,
A-level history
No day is ever exactly like another for archivists, which is one of the reasons I went into the profession. It offers variety, challenge and a fascination for anyone interested in the past. The day below is a fictional one, a composite of many days in my life and those of my colleagues, designed to give a brief glimpse of just some of our many duties.
The Principal Archivist, Claire Skinner at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre Open Day, 2007
Today begins with our monthly team meeting – an opportunity for staff in both archives and local studies to talk about the operation of the search room and see if we can improve our procedures. Following this I unlock the front door at the usual time of 9.30 am and let in the people already waiting patiently outside, obviously eager to come in and begin or continue their research! 'Read more' to find out what else the day brings......
