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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Don't forget to book your free place for our meet-the-author event with historian Dr Kate Werran on Wednesday 23 at the History Centre. 🎟️To book your place email archives@wiltshire.gv.uk 🕡Doors open 6.30pm #history #WW2

Poster for a free event with historian and author Dr Kate Werran about her latest book Black Yanks: defending Leroy Henry in D-Day Britain. Book your free place by email archives@wiltshire.gov.uk
Doors open at 6.30pm
Poster includes a photo of Dr Werran and details about her career as a journalist, documentary maker, social historian and author.

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Places still available for #behindthescenes tours on Thursday 17th. Email archives@wiltshire.gov.uk to book your free place. #archives #history

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Places still available for #behindthescenes tours on Thursday 17th. Email archives@wiltshire.gov.uk to book your free place. #archives #history

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

Join us for our Heritage Open Days when you can meet the experts & explore the History Centre. 🗓️ 16 & 17 Sept. 🎫 Free tours, drop-in sessions & history walk. #history #archives #heritage #archaeology www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-e...

heritageopendays.org.uk

The extraordinary everyday @ Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre

Explore the archives. Meet the experts. Dive into a world of history at the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre.

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Join us at the History Centre on 23 Sept for a free 'meet the author' event with Kate Werran @kate-werran.bsky.social To book your place email archives@wiltshire.gov.uk Doors open 6.30pm #authortalk #history #WW2

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Dr Louise Ryland-Epton @lrylandepton.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Looking for something to do over the summer? My co-curated exhibition on #JohnAubrey runs until 19 September @chippenhammuseum.bsky.social, Wilts. www.chippenham.gov.uk/exhibition-w...

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Victoria County History @vch-home.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

#NewBook news! We're delighted to share the news that our latest (252nd) #BigRedBook is available with a discount of 25% until 31 August from @boydellandbrewer.bsky.social. Wiltshire vol. 20, Chippenham and Environs, available now. #Skystorians Enter the code: BB132 at checkout.

boydellandbrewer.com

A History of the County of Wiltshire

This volume, the first to be published in the VCH Wiltshire series since 2011, presents histories of Chippenham and six adjacent parishes, Bremhill, Christian Malford, Hardenhuish, Kington Langley, Ki...

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Ally McConnell @allymcc50.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

VCH Volume 20...thanking archives, museums and the wider heritage sector for the access and sources. Thanks to the editors and supporters. It's been amazing being part of the journey @vch-home.bsky.social @chippenhammuseum.bsky.social @adamchapman.bsky.social @heritagewshc.bsky.social

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Congratulations to @vch-home.bsky.social @wiltshistory.bsky.social on the official launch of the Chippenham volume. Look forward to seeing the latest #BigRedBook on our shelves at the History Centre. #history #research #archives

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Other documents seen this #workexperience week inc 2 letters signed by Elizabeth I - a formal letter to Edward Seymour relating to a proposed meeting with Mary Queen of Scots & a very personal letter written by Elizabeth to a recently bereaved friend. #ExploreYourArchive #history #heritage

Three documents. On the right is a letter of condolences in Elizabeth I handwriting. Top left an 18th century handwritten transcription. Bottom left a typescript transcription from the 20th century.

A formal letter to Edward Seymour with Elizabeth I sign manual above the text.

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Week 3 of 5 of our #workexperience programme hosting Y10s & 12s from local schools. #Archives looked at this week inc 2 passports signed by James Madison & John Quincy Adams before they became respectively the 4th & 6th presidents of the United States. #4thJuly #ExploreYourArchive

A single page document, partly printed, partly handwritten, that is a passport for a British-born merchant who took American citizenship and which is signed by James Madison who later became the 4th president of the United States

A single page document that is a passport signed by John Quincy Adams when American ambassador in London & later 6th president of the United States. The document includes an image of the American eagle at the top of the late, plus a red wax seal near Adam's signature.

Close up of John Quincy Adams' signature

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GlosBio @glosbio.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Wiltshire, to those who know, is the *VCH* model county, for its publication plan: general, foundation vols first followed by topographical ones. Coincidentally, Wiltshire had perhaps the most important county editors, Elizabeth Crittall & Ralph Pugh (also the most important *VCH* series editor).

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

A privilege & delight to watch @johnhchandler.bsky.social & @lrylandepton.bsky.social unwrap the the product of all their hard work - the latest volume from @vch-home.bsky.social @wiltshistory.bsky.social👏 Formal launch in July. #chippenham #wiltshire #history #skystorians #newbook

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Dr Louise Ryland-Epton @lrylandepton.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

So proud to have been on the team that produced 👇. It is a great exhibition even if I say so myself. 😁

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Dr Louise Ryland-Epton @lrylandepton.bsky.social · 02/06/2026

Delighted to be talking about #JohnAubrey so near his birthplace this Saturday in his 400th anniversary year. 😁 On the menu 🐉🐚👻🌍🌱💍🧙‍♀️🌩️

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Still time to book your place on a journey through the amazing world of Wiltshire-born scientist, writer & antiquarian #JohnAubrey with historian & author @lrylandepton.bsky.social Saturday, 6 June at 2pm. 👉Reserve your place by email - archives@wiltshire.gov.uk 🎟️Tickets £10, payable on the day.

Poster advertising a talk about scientist, antiquarian and writer John Aubrey at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre on June 6 at 2pm. Tickets £10 payable on the day. Reserve your ticket by emailing archives@wiltshire.gov.uk

Image of the book cover to a new edition of John Aubrey's Natural History. The image is a watercolour of a large tree in the right foreground with a house on the left surrounded by more trees and vegetation.

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 21/05/2026

Join us 6th June, 2pm when Dr Louise Ryland-Epton @lrylandepton.bsky.social takes us on a journey through the amazing world of Wiltshire-born scientist, writer & antiquarian John Aubrey. 👉Reserve your place by email - archives@wiltshire.gov.uk 🎟️Tickets £10, payable on the day. #science #history

Poster advertising a talk by Dr Louise Ryland-Epton on the life and work of John Aubrey, scientist, writer and antiquarian. Email archives@wiltshire.gov.uk to reserve your tickets. Price £10, payable on the day. The poster includes a portrait of Aubrey and the cover of Aubrey's Natural History which has been edited by Dr Ryland-Epton.

Engraving of a head and shoulders portrait of John Aubrey. Shows him with long flowing hair, wearing a jacket and lace bands - a 17th century style of tie - with a sash.

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Dr Louise Ryland-Epton @lrylandepton.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

I am so proud to have co-curated this exhibition for @chippenhammuseum.bsky.social with the incredible @anecdotalksb.bsky.social Discover John Aubrey as you’ve never seen him before!!

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Chippenham Museum @chippenhammuseum.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

🚨 COMING SOON - Wiltshire & The World: John Aubrey & The Quest for Knowledge 📅 Sat 13 Jun - Sat 19 Sep 🕒 Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm 🎟️ Free entry © The Trustees of the British Museum. Shared under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) licence.

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

With newspapers struggling to publish because of the strike, the Government launched its own paper - The British Gazette. It was a mix of news & #propaganda & edited by Winston Churchill. The edition shown & the other newspapers come from Edith Olivier's #archive. (WSHC 982/227) #exploreyourarchives

Photo showing the front pages and mastheads of three national newspapers from May 1926 during the General Strike. These were sent by a friend to Edith Olivier. At the bottom of the photo is the Daily Mail with a hand written note saying "in case you're getting no news". Printers were on strike and newspapers were struggling to print daily editions. On the left hand side is the top corner of the Times newspaper. The main part of the image is the front page of the Government's own newspaper called The British Gazette. It is dated May 11, the day before the end of the General Strike.

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

#OTD 12 May the UK's 9-day #GeneralStrike1926 came to an end. It was also the day the weekly Salisbury & Winchester Journal published its first daily news bulletin. National newspaper printing & distribution were curtailed by the strike. #newspapers #exploreyourarchives

Photo showing the top half of a single sheet daily bulletin published by the weekly newspaper the Salisbury and Winchester Journal on May 12 1926. This is the day the General Strike ended. near the top left are two paragraphs headed Our Daily Bulletin, explaining the newspaper would be publishing daily news-sheets because many other newspapers were unable to publish during the strike. Other headlines include "Order and Quiet Through The Land" and a proclamation that a civil constabulary reserve is to be recruited to support the police.

The full front page of the Salisbury & Winchester Journal Daily Bulletin. On the right-hand side are times of postal deliveries and collections and train times for Southern Railway and Great Western Railway. Other headlines include "Lorry Drivers' Canteen Run by Salisbury Women" and "Salisbury Brotherhood's Action".

The back page of the Journal's Daily Bulletin with space for four columns of news. Two columns are filled and there is a short story at the top of the third column about milk being delivered by rail. The rest is blank save for a Stop Press Notice saying late news will be found in the next issue at 3pm.

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

The 'Grounds for Appeal' blog for our National Lottery Heritage Fund project to create a national database of records of #WWI tribunal applications for exemption is officially live! wwigroundsforappeal.substack.com Subscribe to keep up to date with the stories we uncover! #SocialHistory

wwigroundsforappeal.substack.com

Grounds for Appeal | Hannah Salisbury | Substack

The blog for Grounds for Appeal: First World War Military Service Appeal Tribunals in Great Britain, a project led by Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre with funding from the National Lottery Herita...

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

Check out our recent blogs including this from the Moulton #archive which includes notes & sketches by Alex Moulton on Germany's devastating V1 flying bomb known as the doodlebug. The collection also includes an official diagram of the weapon market SECRET. #WWII wshc.org.uk/doodling-the...

wshc.org.uk

Doodling the Doodlebug - Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre

The personal papers of engineer Alex Moulton reveal he was involved, tangentially at least, with early investigations into the V-1.

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

Listen to our head of service @allymcc50.bsky.social talk about #GoodFriday & #Easter traditions on Sue Davies' show this morning on BBC Wiltshire.

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Dorothy Treasure from Wiltshire Buildings Record was on Warminster Community Radio recently to talk about the work of WBR recording built heritage & collecting material since 1979. Dorothy shares what she chatted about in our latest blog: wshc.org.uk/wbr-warminst... #LocalHistory #HistoricBuildings

wshc.org.uk

WBR on the airways - Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre

In February I was asked by Maggie Dee at Warminster Community Radio to speak about the work of Wiltshire Buildings Record (WBR), and my particular interest in the town. The WCR studio is tucked away n...

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Our collections never stop surprising us! During work to make a bespoke enclosure for a charming 19th century greeting card - beautifully crafted in the shape of a fan - the Conservation team discovered it was made in an early form of plastic! wshc.org.uk/archives-hol... #ExploreYourArchive

wshc.org.uk

Archives Hold More Than Just Paper… - Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre

At the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, our collections never stop surprising us. Among the St John family archive from Lydiard House (Lydiard Tregoze, Wiltshire) is this charming 19th‑century gr...

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Volunteers needed for Moonrakers Educafe! Roles include Café host and Educafe Buddy or Welcome Host. Visit wshc.org.uk/exhibitio...... for more information. Contact MoonrakersEducafe@wiltshire.gov.uk if you would be like to be involved!

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Swindon and Wiltshire Pride @swpride.bsky.social · 07/03/2026

We are looking for paid project contributors and volunteers to help deliver the project, visit our website for more details: bit.ly/4d8JYQt Applications for project roles close 3 April 2026. A huge thanks to #NationalLottery players! #HeritageFund

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

Volunteers needed to help the fight against food waste! Contact rootedchippenham@gmail.com to find out how to help with a new community fridge.

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Dr Louise Ryland-Epton @lrylandepton.bsky.social · 01/03/2026

Born weak. Shipwrecked. Cursed by a witch. John Aubrey antiquary, naturalist, biographer, folklorist, visionary was born 400 years ago this month. Find out more and how we are celebrating 👇@chippenhammuseum.bsky.social @wiltshistory.bsky.social www.wiltshirehistory.org/news/john-au...

wiltshirehistory.org

John Aubrey & the Quest for Knowledge — Wiltshire Victoria County History

John Aubrey was born ‘very weak and like to dye’ at Lower Easton Piercy in Kington St Michael on 12 March 1626. But he survived, and as an adult, he continued to cheat death. He survived smallpox. He ...

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 24/02/2026

Really looking forward to hosting bestselling #author #medievalist & #printmaker Amy Jeffs when we'll be chatting with her about mythology, medieval saints & early folk ballads. 📆1st April ⌚7.30pm 🏛️Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre 🎟️Tickets £10. Email archives@wiltshire.gov.uk More info👇

Poster promoting History Centre event. Amy Jeffs in Conversation: Stories, Saints and Songs. There is a photo of Amy plus images of two of her books, Storyland and Old Songs. The Corsham Bookshop will be there selling Amy's books. Details of time and place - 1st April at 7.30pm at the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre in Chippenham. Tickets at £10 and available by emailing archives@wiltshire.gov.uk.

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 30/12/2025

Join us 22 January for 'Cannonballs, Corsets & Coal' - a talk from award-winning #novelist Carolyn Kirby exploring the 18th century world inhabited by the characters in her latest novel, Ravenglass. To book, email archives@wiltshire.gov.uk #history #research @historia-hwa.bsky.social Details 👇

Poster for talk and workshop by author Carolyn Kirby. Workshop is 2-5pm, 22 January. Tickets £25. Talk is 6.30pm. Cost £5. Book both for £25. To book, email archives@wiltshire.gov.uk

Image of the book cover for Ravenglass, the latest historical novel written by Carolyn Kirby. The cover shows the main character Kit, partly clothed as a man and partly as a women of the 18th century. Illustration also includes pairs of ravens, pistols, compasses, swords & anchors.

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 30/12/2025

Where better than the History Centre to discover how #historicalresearch could inspire you to write your first novel! Award-winning #author Carolyn Kirby leads a workshop, 22 January, on writing characters, dialogue & description in #historicalfiction. Book via email: archives@wiltshire.gov.uk

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 30/12/2025

We're delighted to be welcoming #author Carolyn Kirby to the History Centre on 22 January for a writers' workshop plus a talk inspired by her latest novel 'Ravenglass'. Book now for one or both events. Email archives@wiltshire.gov.uk #historicalnovels @historia-hwa.bsky.social More details below.👇

The image is a poster advertising a talk & workshop by author Carolyn Kirby. The talk title is Cannonballs, Corsets and Coal: an 18th century story in 8 objects. Workshop is 2-5pm on 22 January and the talk is at 6.30pm. Book by email - archives@wiltshire.gov.uk

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

Wishing all our customers & #volunteers best wishes this festive season and a reminder that we re-open following our extended closure on Tuesday 30th December.

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

Join us and the Wiltshire Family History Society this Saturday (1 Nov) for our Family History Day with talks, displays & expert advice. Whether a novice or seasoned researcher, there's something for everyone. Runs 10am to 4pm. No need to book. #familyhistory #genealogy

Poster giving details of the Family History Day at the Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre with the Wiltshire Family History Society. The event runs from 10am to 4pm on Saturday 1st November. There are talks, displays and advice. There is a behind the scenes tour at 2pm - first come first served. Refreshments available and there is no need to book. The background to the text is an image of the Seymour family coat of arms and part of the family tree which appears on a document call the Seymour Pedigree which is held at the History Centre.

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 17/10/2025

Looking for something different to do? Why not drop into the History Centre for this year's Teen Takeover event. Doors open 10am (Sat 18th). Your chance to get hands on with #history, handle original documents, go #behindthescenes & discover just how many famous people feature in your #archives.👇

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

Did you know that our local studies library contains hundreds of folders of ephemera all catalogued and categorised by Wiltshire parish and subject? A rich, under-used resource for social history, we share some fascinating examples from the collection in our latest blog: wshc.org.uk/goldmines-in...

wshc.org.uk

Goldmines found in ephemera: an excellent resource for social history - Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre

The Wiltshire Local Studies Ephemera Collection at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre comprises of hundreds of folders full of social history!

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 11/10/2025

We're looking forward to 2026 & all the exciting events & exhibitions @heritagewshc.bsky.social & @chippenhammuseum.bsky.social celebrating #Chippenham & #wiltshire #history with @wiltshistory.bsky.social launch of the Chippenham VCH volume plus anniversary of John Aubrey's birthday.

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 09/10/2025

Really looking forward to hosting this event. Booking info below 👇 #digitalstorytelling #localhistory

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 06/10/2025

A great afternoon with #media students from #WiltshireCollege (Chippenham campus) and their tutor Kate Samways. The young film makers were learning about research methods & using the many #localstudies, #archive & #ephemera resources available at the History Centre. #archives #ExploreYourArchive

Four students - two partially hidden - filming with digital cameras on tripods, looking at newspaper pages on microfilm readers. Watched by their tutor, foreground right. In the background are rolling stacks - shelves - of the Performing Arts Library.

Close-up image on the left of a student's hands adjusting a digital camera to film a microfilm reader showing the front page of The Wiltshire Times newspaper. From the right is the hand and arm of another student adjusting the microfilm reader.

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Athelstan Museum @athelstanmuseum.bsky.social · 03/10/2025

Malmesbury Wessex Week is nearly upon us once again. Here are the talks and other events for this year between the 18th and 25th of October. Tickets are still available on the website, wessex-week.org or from the Tourist Information Centre in Malmesbury Town Hall. #events #history

Saturday
Bradley Hopper: Coinage and the
18th October
Making of England
Malmesbury Town Hall - 7pm - £10 Sunday
19th October
Campbell Ritchie: Guided Walk: The visible
Influence of King Alfred the Great on Malmesbury
Malmesbury Town Hall - 10.30am
£7 Adult, £3.50 U16 Tuesday
21st October Liam Wilson: Roman Settlement and After in the Malmesbury area: New evidence from
excavations by Cotswold Archaeology
Malmesbury Town Hall - 7pm - £10 Wednesday
22nd October
Tony McAleavy: Malmesbury and
Alfred the Great
The Old Bell Hotel garden room
Talk - 7.30pm - €10
2 Course dinner and talk- 6pm - £40 Friday
24th October Tony McAleavy: Lull: the monk from
Malmesbury who converted Germany
Rausing Building - 3pm - £10 Saturday
25th October Andrew Ziminski: Church going
around Wessex
Malmesbury Town Hall - 7pm - £10
Full details of each event and tickets on the website
www.wessex-week.org
Tickets also available from the Malmesbury Tourist Information Office.

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

Sir Christopher Wren, Arts & Crafts #architect Detmar Blow, Augustus Pugin & James Wyatt - aka 'Wyatt the Destroyer' - all feature in our displays for #HeritageOpenDay tomorrow Saturday 20th @heritagewshc.bsky.social Join us from 10am to celebrate all things #architectural #architecture #archives

Poster for the free open day at Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre which runs from 10am to 4pm Saturday 20th September. Conservation Labs also open from 10am to 1pm. Other attractions include displays of architectural themed items from the archive & local studies collections. There is also a pop-up Heritage Cafe.

A photo of St Paul's Cathedral in London showing the dome and the south side of the building.

A photograph of the west end of Salisbury Cathedral on a sunny day with a cloudless blue sky in the background and shadows on the grass in the foreground from trees.

Postcard showing Stonehenge from the early 1900s when it was undergoing repairs. Some of the stones are propped up and there are people standing around the stones.

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Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre @heritagewshc.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

Join us this Saturday 20th for our annual #heritageopenday this year celebrating all things architectural from our #archives & #localstudies collections. Meet the experts on #househistory & #familyhistory and why not drop in for a cuppa at our pop-up Heritage Café. See poster for more details.👇

Poster for Wiltshire & Swindon History Centre’s “Architecture in the Archives” Open Day on 20 September, 10am–4pm. Includes event details: archive displays, behind-the-scenes tours, conservation lab visits (10am–1pm), and a pop-up café. Poster includes photo of the History Centre plus logos for Wiltshire Council, Heritage Open Days, and Swindon Borough Council. A pink banner reads “FREE TO EXPLORE.”

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