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 [email protected] #historicalnovels @historia-hwa.bsky.social More details below.👇

For those needing a quick #familyhistory fix this #BoxingDay, here's an inspiring article from @theguardian.com ‘The hidden engine room’: how amateur historians are powering genealogical research www.theguardian.com/education/20...

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.

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

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.👇

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...

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.

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

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

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

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

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.👇

Another great review for 'Treasures from History' created and run by Community History Advisor Gianna Torchia. These sessions are held every first Saturday of the month, so please do join us to #ExploreYourArchive #archives melonypatch.wordpress.com/2025/09/12/i...

A reminder that we are open on the first Saturday of every month. We are also running free "Treasures from History" sessions. The search room is open from 9.30am and the "Treasures" session runs for an hour from 11am. #ExploreYourArchive #archives

There's a full day of expert speakers lined up for Wiltshire Buildings Record Study Day on Saturday 18th October on topics as diverse as Model Farms, historic racecourses, William Morris, Quaker architect Brightwen Binyon, & Victorian architectural ornament: wshc.org.uk/the-age-of-i... #architecture

#Salisbury so easily could have been a #university city of learning in the #medieval period.

Read our latest blog to discover why this is the year of #MagnaCarta - the definitive charter issued by Henry III, confirmed by his son Edward I. And the contemporary copies that can be seen @heritagewshc.bsky.social #medieval #history #lacock wshc.org.uk/the-year-of-...

Find out how Community History Advisor Gianna got on sampling a historic knitting pattern from an 18-19th century family recipe and commonplace book in our latest blog wshc.org.uk/a-brief-look... #Archives #ExperimentalHistory

One of the many intriguing aspects of Sherston's fascinating and underexplored archaeological heritage is the bank and ditch earthworks which comprise Sherston's only Scheduled Monument. Assistant County Archaeologist for Wiltshire, Tim Havard, investigates... wshc.org.uk/sherstons-en... #Wiltshire

A fascinating, if rather grim, read! You just never know what you might find in the #archives. #ExploreYourArchive

Hidden details about the history of the familiar Odeon building in Salisbury have been revealed at a recent conference of the Wiltshire Buildings Record: wshc.org.uk/wiltshire-bu... #VernacularArchitecure #HistoricBuildings #WiltshireBuildings

#OTD 1945 the headteacher of King William Street school, #Swindon notes that May 8 & 9 were public holidays. May 10 was Ascension Day & pupils gathered to march to church. "The attendance was not so good... on account of the after effects of the celebrations the previous day." #VEDay #VEDay80

"This is VE Day. The school assembled in full force, and with many parents, went to a Children's thanksgiving service in the Church." So wrote the headteacher of Melksham St Michael's school #OTD 8th May 1945. Hymns, psalm & anthem were all practised in school ahead of the service. #VEDay80 #VEDay

#OTD in the early hours 7 May 1945, Germany signed an unconditional surrender. #Churchill declared 8 May #VEDay. Brig. Jack Parham, with the British 2nd Army in Luneberg travelled to the Baltic sea port of Travemunde. His pocket diaries form part of his #archive held at the History Centre. #VEDay80

To mark #VEDay80 our latest blog delves into our collections to see how Wiltshire people on civvie street & in uniform marked this momentous occasion. #archives #localstudies Also check out #localhistorymonth talks, events & displays in #libraries across the county. wshc.org.uk/vedayinthear...

It's #localhistorymonth which means a host of events, talks & exhibitions in #libraries across #Wiltshire, promoting local history. As we mark #VEDay80 many events have a wartime theme. Check out the Wiltshire Libraries website for more information. libraries.wiltshire.gov.uk/-/local-hist...

Always a pleasure to welcome @yourbenpraters.bsky.social to the History Centre. He recorded 4 segments with our education officer Ruth Butler on #VEDay80 as seen through the #archives & #localstudies collections. Today's piece is 2hrs 22mins 48secs into the show. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

#OTD 4 May 1945 the Salisbury & Winchester Journal reports on preparations for the end of war in Europe. Civil Defence is disbanded, local churches prepare for special services & #bellringers look forward to ringing celebratory peels after almost 6yrs of silence. #VEDay80 #churchbells #peace

#OTD 3 May 1945 #poet Siegfried Sassoon writes to Edith Olivier with a mix of personal news & comments on impending peace in Europe. "What a week of wild news! I suppose nothing more extraordinary is likely to happen in so few days during the next 100 years!" #VEDay80 #archives

Conservation Assistant Nikki has been working on creating archival boxes for a series of architectural plans by notable architect Harold Brakspear. She explains the process and the importance of careful attention when it comes to storage of archives in our latest blog wshc.org.uk/archival-box...

Sign up for Saturday's (May 3) "Treasures from the Archives" session starting at 11am. Community History Advisor Gianna will be leading the session looking at traditional recipes. Register your interest at [email protected] #exploreyourarchives #archivetreasures #archives

Join us at the History Centre Monday (28 April) for the first script in hand performance of Fire & Milk. Performance begins at 12noon & is free to attend. The play from SHOUTING Softly Swindon project is inspired by the women of #Swindon. @artscouncilengland.bsky.social @primetheatre.bsky.social

Looks like it's going to be a great #localstudies resource.

Colleagues Terry, Julie & Ian setting up for today's @cilip.bsky.social Local Studies Group conference. Julie & Ian presenting on @heritagewshc.bsky.social #outreach & #wellbeing programmes. #libraries #localstudies

A call for papers from the West of England and South Wales Women's History Network annual conference! This year's theme is Historical Perspectives on Women and Food on Saturday 11th October 2025 to be held at the University of Exeter. #womenshistory

In our latest blog, Claire shares her experience of working as a #volunteer on the Farmsteads Project for #Wiltshire Buildings Record. Her work involves updating photographs of farm buildings, some taken in the 1980s and some as far back as the 1930s. wshc.org.uk/disappearing... #architecture

Please note that week commencing 24th March there may be some noise affecting the searchroom due to redevelopment work taking place in an adjacent room. Apologies for any inconvenience this causes during your visit.

As celebrated by retired archivist Steve Hobbs, Ken Rogers was a towering figure in the related fields of archives and history in Wiltshire. Ken died recently, aged 94, and former colleagues have been kind enough to share a few memories of Ken’s life and career: wshc.org.uk/memories-of-...

A wonderful Wednesday celebrating our fantastic #volunteers with Cllr Sven Hocking @wiltscouncil.bsky.social A special shout out to Wiltshire Family History Society who've completed transcribing the county's parish registers. #familyhistory #genealogy #archives #heritage #cake

A fantastic start to the week: a packed house for the latest in @wiltshistory.bsky.social lecture series + annual visit from Bath Spa University's #Heritage Management MA students (pictured) + Wilts Record Society meeting. All in a day's work. #archives #exploreyourarchive #history #localstudies

Make 2025 the year of discovery & join our new *Treasures from the Archives* group. These informal sessions, led by Community History Advisor Gianna, are an ideal introduction to the #archives & work of the History Centre. Join us for the first session on 1st March at 11am. #exploreyourarchive

#OTD 11 Feb 1225 Henry III reissued #MagnaCarta under his own seal. Clauses from this definitive charter remain in law today. We are privileged to have a copy of the 1225 Magna Carta which forms part of Liber Evidentiarum B, a cartulary from the very early 1300s. #archives #exploreyourarchive

Once again it's great to see the results of all your hard work @wiltshistory.bsky.social @historyrosalind.bsky.social @lrylandepton.bsky.social @markforrest.bsky.social #history #research #archives

The joy of randomness when searching #archives & #libraries Looks like a visiting fellowship @bodleianlibraries.bsky.social is proving fruitful. #johnaubrey #wiltshire

Great day at the Choosing History event at Swindon Central Library @swindoncouncil.bsky.social for students thinking of studying history at GCSE & A-Level. #careers #history #heritage #archives #conservators

What a great idea. ❤️ #libraries #agoodread

Today's blog gives some council counsel! Ally shares how the parish council #archive collection listings have been restructured to make them easier to use. Not "aiming to bore you to tears" but to show "how we make our collections more accessible and understandable" wshc.org.uk/parish-counc...

A big welcome to the Explore Your Archive account - archives around the world can get involved with their monthly themes and annual focus week... follow @exploreyourarchive.bsky.social

Due to unforeseen circumstances we are unable to staff the History Centre tomorrow, Saturday 1st February and will not be open to the public. If you have pre-booked we will be in touch to arrange an alternate date for your visit. We apologise for any inconvenience.