The Stores and terrace houses on Ormond Road in 1967. This photograph was taken just prior to this whole terrace being demolished. On The Stores we can see adverts for Brasso, Silvo, Players cigarettes and rimflo. Parked outside is a black Morris Minor 1000, 2-door saloon. #WaybackWednesday

Ormond Road looking on to Charlton Road in the mid-1970s. Apart from larger trees and quite a few more cars, this part of the town has not changed all that much in the past 5 decades. In the distance is Wantage Hospital. #WaybackWednesday #Wantage #Oxfordshire #Berkshire

This year's Nearly New Craft Session is bigger & better than ever We will have all the donated craft items for sale, we also have space for extra stalls for local crafts people So, if you would like to hire a stall please get in touch by emailing Museum Manager - [email protected]

Mill Street, Wantage c1870 Mill Street looking surprisingly similar to how it looks today, although there is no Tramway building here and the building in between the Baptist Church and the three-storey building at the top of the street, is very different. #WaybackWednesday

As the days turn cooler, we’ve added something extra comforting to the menu at the Museum Coffee Shop… homemade soup Come and enjoy a bowl of our delicious soup, served with fresh rolls, a cheese scone, or choose from our range of freshly made sandwiches, baguettes, and rolls #SupportLocal

There are just 85 days until Father Christmas visits the Museum again & we can not wait! Fri 5th Dec 4-8pm & Sat 6th Dec 2.30-4.30pm £6 per child, each child will meet Father Christmas & receive a gift Find out more information and book online by visiting www.ticketsource.co.uk/vale-downland-museum

Church Street, Wantage. Taken from the front of what is now the Museum looking up Church Street. In the distance you can see the Woolpack pub on the right and the rear of the Bear Hotel and Victoria Cross Gallery on the left #WaybackWednesday

It is the final week to see this wonderful exhibition from the members of Wantage Art Group On display in our Squires Gallery - closes this Saturday, 13th September Free admission but donations to the museum welcome

Find our current vacancies on our website www.valeanddownlandmuseum.org.uk

The Jubilee Swimming Bath. Mill Street Wantage. Photograph by Tom Reveley in the early 1900s Opened on 1st June 1899 as a memorial of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee of 1897.

⚡ Important Update: Electrical Work at the Museum ⚡ Next week, we’ll be carrying out essential electrical work to upgrade the lighting throughout the Museum.

140 years ago on 27th August 1885 the final day of a two-day event took place at Lockinge House (no longer there) in East Lockinge. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑶𝒍𝒅 𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒔 #WaybackWednesday

Mark your calendar - Wantage Art Group is back with their annual exhibition at the V&D Museum! From 1–13 Sept, the Squires Gallery will be filled with stunning landscapes, vibrant still lifes, & captivating abstracts created by talented local artists Entry is free

Something a little different for this week’s #WaybackWednesday post. An interior photo showing the ovens and cooling racks in the kitchen of Smith & Son Bakery and Confectioners shop on Newbury Street, Wantage. This photo is dated 1974 but the business had closed in the late 1960s.

Say cheese! 📸 Sign your little superstars up for our fun photoshoot and get a free family photo to treasure forever. We’ll send your picture digitally after the event – perfect for sharing, framing, or showing off to Grandma! Book online www.ticketsource.co.uk/vale-downlan...

The first Children's Art Workshop of the summer holidays and we will be getting messy with clay! We'll be creating our own version of a stone head, using air-dry clay. Thurs 7th Aug 10.30-11.45am £10 per child. Must be booked in advance, online via bit.ly/4fzuNz5 or at the museum.

This view from the 1970s doesn’t look much different from today. There is still a bench, bin and post box on this corner of Maryfield and Ormond Road, the only thing that really dates it is the cars which are considerably smaller than most cars today. #WaybackWednesday #Wantage #Oxfordshire

Wantage Tramway passenger tram made its final journey 100 years ago today, 31st July 1925 Wantage Tramway opened in 1875 for freight and passengers. Passenger line ran for 50 years, while the freight ran until 1945 #History #WantageTramway #Wantage #100Years #Anniversary #Exhibition #Railway

Holy Trinity Church, Charlton, Wantage, in the early 1980s. Built in the 19c for the growing population of Charlton. It now serves Charlton and the new Kingsgrove estate. In the background you can see the old school, which was built in 1858 and closed in 1921. #WaybackWednesday

It is definitely indoor activity weather this morning so why not come make a woolly mammoth or dinosaur collage at today's Creative Crafts session? 10am - 12pm (split into four 30-minute arrival slots) Just £2.50 per child. Spaces available to pre-book online www.ticketsource.co.uk/vale-downlan...

Broadway Motors, Wallingford Street, Wantage. A long queue of vehicles waiting to fill up to take advantage of the sales promotion. Taken in June 1973 by Ivor Field from Abingdon. #WaybackWednesday

The team from the local Guide Dogs for the Blind Group will be here at the Museum sharing what they do & how you can support them. They may have some puppies here for a meet and greet (weather and puppies mood dependant) Thurs 24th Jul 10-2 Free to attend Children must be accompanied by an adult

This photograph is from the personal collection of Lady Wantage, Harriet Loyd. Taken in 1877 it shows an exhibition organised by Lady Wantage in the Corn Exchange, Market Place, Wantage. #WaybackWednesday

LEGO® Club is back by popular demand for the summer. Let your LEGO® loving children enjoy building at the museum to save your feet from the dreaded pain of standing on LEGO® bricks 😆 £4 per child. Must be booked in advance online bit.ly/40f4QP2 or at the museum.

Camel Crossroads in the mid-1970s, before the double roundabouts were installed Photo was taken from Denchworth Road, Mill Street left, Ham Road opposite & Challow Road right Behind the brick wall on the right of the photo is the Convent of the Community of St Mary the Virgin #WaybackWednesday

The Vale & Downland Museum is not far from #Wantage #MarketPlace, but do you know how to get to us from the centre of town? Last week our lovely work experience student, Elin, created this short video showing how to find the museum, starting at the #KingAlfred statue.

We're so excited to announce we have launched a digital guide on Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app. Our guide lets you explore the Vale & Downland Museum in ways you've never been able to before valeanddownlandmuseum.org.uk/free-digital... #BloombergConnects #ValeAndDownlandMuseum

The internal courtyard of what was then called Styles Almshouses (12 houses) but now is called Stiles Court (8 houses). Taken in the 1960s, it shows the lovely pump which would have been vital to those living in those homes. #WaybackWednesday

Come along to support your favourite 😉 museum at this year's Fundraising Summer Fete on Saturday 12th July Games and stalls galore and don't forget the big raffle with prizes such as tickets to Blenheim Palace and many other attractions.

Less than 24hrs until the Museum Coffee Shop official opens! We've taste tested all the new menu and can't wait for our visits to try all the new delicious options!

Our Fundraising Summer Fete is taking place on Saturday 12th July 10am - 12pm

Change is coming to the Museum Café – as of the 20th June, we'll be launching the new 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘂𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗽! With a stripped-back menu of deli-style sandwiches and alternatives prepared daily to choose from, alongside our homemade cakes, delicious scones and the normal selection of hot and cold drinks

A new craft workshop for adults Learn how to create a vase out of a book and make paper flowers Mon 7th Jul 10am-12pm £25 pp Space is limited so must book in advance, online via bit.ly/4dRXu9N or visit the museum. All materials provided. This workshop is for adults only.

In 1961 Patrick West, from Coventry and Joyce Abraham, from Letcombe Bassett, were the first couple to be married in the newly built St John Vianney Catholic Church on Charlton Road, Wantage. Here they are with Father Jim Wixted. #WaybackWednesday

Tickets for our BIG Summer Raffle are now on sale! Tickets £1 each, available from the museum. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗙𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟮𝘁𝗵 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 at 2pm We have some fabulous prizes from some amazing places All proceeds from the raffle help us raise vital funds for the museum.

Just some delicious cakes from the Vale & Downland Museum Cafe

Grove Street Wantage in 1975. Back then it was a shop selling garden ornaments with a yard down the side and to the rear. Today it is a residential house it was is now called Queens Row. #WaybackWednesday

There are just a couple of spaces still available for tomorrow's cushion making workshop! For more information and to book visit bit.ly/4djNfuw £10 per child. Aged 7+ only.

Part-time Visitor Host Helen from the @bodleianlibraries.bsky.social will be here at the museum to tell us all about this wonderful place. Join us on Wed 4th Jun 1.30pm £7.50 per person Book online www.ticketsource.co.uk/vale-downlan...

The bungalows of Partridge Close, Wantage. In the distance you can see the tower of the fire station. Taken in the 1970s. These bungalows were built in the late 1950s and are very much unchanged today #WaybackWednesday

This May half term join us for another fun craft session! During this session we will be using cardboard, milk bottle tops, craft paper & other craft materials to make aeroplanes. Tues 27th May 10am - 12pm (split into four 30-minute sessions) £3 per child

May half term at the Vale & Downland Museum ✈️🎸✂️

1977 Wantage Hospital celebrated it's 50th anniversary, it was also the Silver Jubilee year for Queen Elizabeth II. Here are Eileen Farrington from the League of Friends & Russell Lodge the part-time gardener with a special flora display to celebrate at the hospitals open day. #WaybackWednesday

Here's a sneaky peek of the newest addition to our collection Dated Sept 1917 this aeroplane propeller was in a plane crash over #Wantage We'd like to say thank you to Trevor Hancock for notifying us about the sale of this propeller and the Friends of the V&DM for purchasing it for us

On the menu this week is zingy Lemon Meringue Cake and gooey Snickers Brownies. I have personally taste tested these two bakes before and I can confirm they are absolutely scrumptious!

As we commemorate the 80th Anniversary of #VEDay we are pleased to announce that our new WWII exhibition is now open! Find out about Wantage and Grove during World War Two. Open during normal opening times: Mon - Sat 9.30am - 3.45pm Special opening Sun 11th May 11am - 3pm

Herbert and Dolly Dyer celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1974. The couple who were both born in Basingstoke, moved to Grove in 1943 when they took over The Volunteer pub, Station Road, which they ran for more than 30 years. #WaybackWednesday

Today's #ArchiveObject is a personal favourite of our Collections volunteer. This tiny wooden acorn is hiding inside of it a grater for nutmeg. The grater is metal and is mounted into a bone frame inside the wooden casing. This one dates from the 1800s but they were popular from the 1600s #Archive30

#SomethingNew to our archives which we haven't shared before is this Royal Berkshire Regiment hat which was donated by the son the of gentleman who wore this hat during WWII, Ronald Sealey. #Archive30

This is definitely a #PopularItem with staff, volunteers and visitors! The massive mammoth tooth which was discovered in Oxfordshire in the 1960s. It is hard to tell from this photo just how large it is but to give you some idea, it takes at least two hands to lift it. #Archive30