Back to the Middle Ages - History Centre Family Fun Day

The Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre in Chippenham throws open its doors this half term, with a day (Saturday 2 November) of free activities for all the family.

The fun gets underway at 10am where there will be workshops, displays and activities until 4pm.

Visitors can travel back in time to join the College of Chivalry and have a go at long bow archery or watch knights in training with Swindon-based Black Cat Archery. The medieval-themed day also features Wiltshire Scrapstore providing creative craft activities.

The annual event is a chance for families to see the amazing work that goes on behind the scenes at the History Centre and meet the experts the archivists, archaeologists and conservators who look after the county's historic records and archaeology.

Councillor Richard Clewer, Wiltshire Council Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Heritage, said: "This is a great opportunity to discover just how much goes on at the History Centre. There will be something for everyone, with activities to suit all ages."

Visitors to the conservation labs not normally open to the public will be able to play detective using x-ray images to identify mystery objects and discover just how destructive bugs and pests can be to medieval documents.

The packed programme also includes living history exploring the lives of medieval women and the work of a barber surgeon, plus displays of rare documents, the story of Wiltshire's lost medieval villages, and a chance to inspect grisly coroners' records.

Refreshments will be available at the pop-up Heritage Café.