Wiltshire libraries celebrate Local and Community History Month with events and exhibitions across the county

The aim of the month is to increase awareness of local history, promote history in general to the local community and to engage with the local community to help them discover how to find out more about and enjoy the county.

Events are running from Wednesday 4 May through to Friday 27 May and a full list of events  and booking information can be found on the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre website.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of Wiltshire Council said: "Whether it's your own family history or the history of our historic county, we have events taking place to interest everyone and plenty of chances to hear from local experts on some fascinating topics.

"The county of Wiltshire has played an important part in our nation's history since medieval times, as demonstrated by events and items still on display in Salisbury. The newly completed Domesday Book was first presented at Old Sarum in 1086 and Salisbury Cathedral contains the best preserved copy of Magna Carta. Produced in 1215, it is considered to be one of the most important legal documents in the world. The Cathedral also contains one of the world's oldest working clocks (there are claims it is the oldest), which is said to date back to 1386 and keeps time to an accuracy of 2 minutes a day.

"Understanding our history and how it has shaped our lives today can help us to become stronger and more cohesive communities today. I hope that people will take part in these events and enjoy discovering more about their past."  

Many libraries in Wiltshire and the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre in Chippenham have resources available to help you research your family history, including free access to various online services such as the British Newspaper Archive and Ancestry. Royal Wootton Bassett Library (Monday 16 May) and Calne Library (Thursday 26 May) will be holding introduction sessions on using Ancestry for family history research on the library computers.

We also have events to help you hone your research skills so you can delve into the history of your local area or your own house. You don't you need to live in an old house to research its history. Whether you're in a sixteenth century thatched cottage or a 1980s semi, there's a wealth of information waiting to be uncovered. Devizes Library (Wednesday 25 May) will be running a session to help you get started researching the history of your house and the people who called it home before you.

The British Newspaper Archive gives online access to millions of newspaper articles from the British Library newspaper collections including articles from the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries and we'll be showing you how to make the most of it at Salisbury (Wednesday 4 May), Warminster (Thursday 19 May) and Melksham (Friday 20 May) Libraries.

In addition to online resources we have lots of other resources available during Local History Month: come and delve into the posters and cuttings of Salisbury past with a look at Salisbury ephemera- a veritable feast of interesting bits and bobs for your delight at Salisbury library (Wednesday 18 May).

A full list of events and booking information can be found on the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre website. 

Events taking place in Wiltshire libraries during Local and Community History Month:

Discover the British Newspaper Archive

Salisbury Library

Wednesday 4 May, 2.30-3.30pm, Free

Frogg Moody

Exploring Fisherton

Salisbury Library

Thursday 5 May, 7-8pm, £3

Sarah Murray

The Hall: Bradford on Avon's Hidden Gem

Bradford on Avon Library

Monday 9 May, 7.15-8.15pm, £3

Julie Davis
Wiltshire Folklore

Malmesbury Library

Monday 9 May, 7.15-8.15pm, £3

Jane Faulkner

In Search of Pudding Brook

Corsham Library

Friday 13 May, 5.30-6.30pm, £3

Kathryn Preston

Workshop: A Beginner's guide to using Ancestry

Royal Wootton Bassett Library

Monday 16 May, 10.30am-12pm, Free

Amy Hammett, Wiltshire Museum

Dementia friendly reminiscence session with old everyday objects from the past

Devizes Library

Tuesday 17 May - 2.30-3.30pm, Free dementia friendly session.

Discover Salisbury Ephemera

Salisbury Library

Wednesday 18 May, 2.30-3.30pm, Free

John Garland

Discover the British Newspaper Archive

Warminster Library

Thursday 19 May, 2.30-3.30pm, Free

Kathryn Preston

Discover the British Newspaper Archive

Melksham Library

Friday 20 May, 2.30-3.30pm, Free

Tom Rogers

The Pippins, Calne: The Evolution of a Medieval Plot

Calne Library

Monday 23 May, 10.30-11.30am, £3

Ian Hicks

An Introduction to Palaeography

Trowbridge Library

Monday 23 May, 2-4pm, £6

Julie Davis and Max Parkin

How to Research the History of Your House

Devizes Library

Wednesday 25 May, 10.30-12.30pm, £6

Discover the British Newspaper Archive

Salisbury Library

Thursday 26 May, 9.30-10.30am, Free

Jo Smith

A Beginner's Guide to Using Ancestry

Calne Library

Thursday 26 May, 2.30-3.30pm, Free

Julie Davis

Wiltshire Folklore

Chippenham Library

Friday 27 May, 7.15-8.15pm, £3

Amy Hammett, Wiltshire Museum

Children's local history activity (age guide 5-9 years)

Discover Devizes throughout the ages

Tuesday 31 May - 2.30- 3.20 pm. Free

As well as talks there are also several exhibitions you can drop in to see including:

Amesbury Library

Roses School: A History

Bradford on Avon Library

The Hall: Portrait of a Country Estate between the wars

Calne Library

Calne Town Centre Excavation

Chippenham Library

1952 Chippenham

Corsham Library

The Flemish Weavers

Devizes Library

Prison Life in Devizes

Marlborough Library

Crime in Marlborough

Malmesbury Library

Local Folklore