Wiltshire Heritage Museum

ROMANS LECTURE CANCELLED

2012-02-21T16:23:00.002Z

We regret to advise that the lecture scheduled for Saturday 25 February by Sam Moorhead of the British Museum 'The Romans who Shaped Britain', has been cancelled. We hope to arrange a new date for later in the year.

Devizes MP, Claire Perry, pledges to supports Museum

2012-02-20T23:05:00.003Z

Devizes MP Claire Perry wrote in Thursday's Gazette ...

'Last Thursday I had the great treat of visiting the Wiltshire Heritage Museum in Devizes, which contains the best bronze age collection of artefacts in the country ... but receives public funding that is a fraction of that enjoyed by museums in London.

The museum has expansion plans that will strengthen its links with the World Heritage Sites at Stonehenge and Avebury (one of the most atmospheric places int he world) but needs to attract more funding and visitors. I have pledged to do all I can to help this gem of an institution.'

Life in Roman Britain

2012-02-20T11:57:00.000Z

A Young WANHS activity on Saturday 10 March - take part in a drill led by Lucius the Legionary and receive a diploma and learn about life for Roman Soldiers in Britain and make a mosaic to take home.

Young WANHS is a Saturday morning club for 7-14 year olds interested in archaeology, local and natural history. The Club is held every month, usually on the second Saturday, from 10.15am to 12.15pm. Please arrive a little before this so that we have time to book you in.

Cost is £4 and places are limited, so pre-booking is essential - contact us on 01380 727369 (Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm) or contact us via our website

Notes:
(1) To reserve a place payment must be made at time of booking, or 48 hours before the session.
(2) An activity may be cancelled at short notice if insufficient bookings are received. Any payments will be refunded.

While the Museum sleeps!

2012-02-20T11:52:00.002Z

John Girvan's Night at the Museum - an evening of mysterious, strange, weird and wonderful objects and stories! 9.30pm until after midnight. Friday 2 March

Using his own objects, and highlighting some held at the Museum, John will lead a guided tour of the building, whilst also telling mysterious, strange or just weird stories about objects he has accumulated over the years. Learn more about the history of the Museum buildings and possibly visit behind the scenes.

John is a blacksmith at the Canal Forge, Devizes and is known as a local historian and creator of the popular Devizes Ghost Walk. He hosts a variety of local guided walks and illustrated talks including the Devizes Heritage Walk. He is also the author of a number of local books, most recently Deeper Under Devizes, and has made a number of television appearances. Visit www.devizestours.co.uk for more details.

Pre-booking is essential as numbers are limited to 20. This event is also only for adults as the content is too scary for children.

As this is a late event (start 9.30pm until after midnight) and light levels around the building will be lower than normal, please bring a torch and wear non-slip shoes. For your own safety, please let us know if you have any mobility, health or eyesight problems that we should take into account during the event. If it’s cold we would also recommend you bring a warm jumper or coat! Please note: although some of the stories may be strange and scary, this is not a ghost hunt or an investigation into paranormal activity despite the late hour!

Tickets cost just £10 and booking is essential as numbers are restricted. Contact the Bookings Secretary on 01380 727369 (10am to 5pm Monday to Saturday) or book on-line using via our website - but hurry, only a few places remaining. Refreshments will be available and all proceeds donated to Wiltshire Heritage Museum.

Please note, we reserve the right to automatically cancel bookings 14 days before the event if payment has not been received.

Romans Lecture by Sam Moorhead

2012-02-20T11:44:00.002Z

Saturday 25 February, 2.30pm at the Museum.

Sam Moorhead, National Finds Adviser for Iron Age and Roman coins at the British Museum will present The Romans Who Shaped Britain. Tickets cost just £6 (£3.50 for WANHS members) and a few are still available.

Based on his recent book of the same name (with David Stuttard, Thames & Hudson, 2012), this lecture will look at the lives of the generals, governors and emperors – and those they sought to rule – occupying this western outcrop of Rome’s empire. The rich cast of characters includes men and women both noble and venal, courageous and craven. Some of them, such as Caesar and Boudica, may be familiar, other such as Carausius, Magnentius or Valentinus less so. Their lives and actions are set against the backdrop of an evolving landscape, in which Iron Age shrines were being replaced by marble temples, industrial-scale factories and granaries were springing up across the countryside and a triumphal arch towered into the Kent sky to mark Rome’s domination.

Sam was voted Archaeologist of the Year in 2011 by readers of Current Archaeology, and is Honorary Secretary of the Roman Society and a Trustee of the Association for Roman Archaeology. He has published extensively on Roman coins and is co-author, with David Stuttard, of AD 410: The Year that Shook Rome (2010) and 31 BC, Antony, Cleopatra and The Year That Shook Egypt (forthcoming). He is also a long-standing member of WANHS.

Booking is recommended. Contact our Bookings Secretary on 01380 727369 (10am to 5pm Monday to Saturday) or book on-line via our website.

Please note, we reserve the right to automatically cancel bookings 14 days before the lecture if payment has not been received.

Saturday afternoon lectures start at 2.30pm and last approx. one hour.

Friday 10 Feb - Museum open

2012-02-10T07:44:00.002Z

The Museum will be open today, but services may be restricted. We will let you know as soon as we can if today's seminar is not going ahead by a blog on the website.

Lunchtime Talk - Awakening the the Blade

2012-02-03T16:31:00.003Z

A practical approach to the Study of Medieval Sword-Play (a real-life demonstration) by Dr Rob Jones, The Roman Baths Museum, Bath. Wednesday 8 February, start 1.10pm.

Dr Jones is also the author of Bloodied Banners: Martial Display on the Medeival Battlefield (Boydell and Brewer, 2010).

Lunchtime Talks start at 1.10pm and last approx. 45 minutes. Bring your lunch and we will provide tea/coffee.

Tickets cost £4 (£3 WANHS members) and pre-booking is not necessary.

www.wiltshireheritage.org.uk

How to survive a Nuclear War

2012-02-03T16:22:00.003Z

Saturday 11 February - a Young WANHS activity.

The 1950’s saw the start of the Cold War between the West (UK, US and Europe) and the East (Russia and the Communist countries). The threat of all-out nuclear war was always there, and this activity will look at the preparations made so that people could survive a nuclear war. See the ‘Protect and Survive’ film that told you what to do in your home, visit a real nuclear bunker in Devizes and try on some special radiological protection gear.

The Young WANHS clubis open to 8 to 14 year olds interested in archaeology, local and natural history. The club meets on the second Saturday of every month from 10.15am to 12.15pm. It's free to join and each session costs just £4 per child.

To book a place contact the Museum - 01380 727369 or wanhs@wiltshireheritage.org.uk.

With Bob Clarke and David Dawson
www.wiltshireheritage.org.uk

AFG activity Saturday 4 February

2012-01-31T17:22:00.001Z

Robert Skinner will talk to the AFG on the subject of the West Woods Environs Project, at Wiltshire Heritage Museum on Saturday 4 February at Wiltshire Heritage Museum, starting at 10.30am.

Following that will be a sorting and recording from the 2011 digs.

Everyone welcome.

See the Moot list below (as at 30 January), there are still gaps, any volunteers? As usual any mistakes in the list, please let me know.

Moot Site, Remarks

1, Bishops Cannings,
2, Alderbury,
3, Amesbury, Done
4, Blagrove,
5, Bradford,
6, Branchbury, Complete – No identification possible
7, Cadworth,
8, Calne, Complete
9, Cawdon,
10, Chippenham, In hand but looking as not poss?
11, Cicementone, In hand
12, Cricklade,
13, Damerham, In hand
14, Dolesfield, Complete – No identification possible
15, Downton, In hand
16, Dunley,
17, Dunworth, Complete
18, Elstub, Done Panorama Req
19, Frustfield, Done
20, Heytesbury, Complete
21, Highworth, Complete
22, Kingsbridge, Complete
23, Kinwardstone,
24, Melksham,
25, Mere, Complete
26, Ramsbury,
27, Rowborough,
28, Scipa, Complete
29, Selkley,
30, Staple,
31, Startley, Inhand
32, Stowford, Complete
33, Studfold,
34, Swanborough, Complete – req writing up
35, Thorngrove, Complete
36, Thornhill, Complete – No identification possible
37, Warminster, Complete
38, Westbury, Complete
39, Whorwellsdown, Complete
40, Wonderditch.

Shaun

Museum closed for spring-clean!

2012-01-29T14:33:00.002Z

The museum will be closed from Monday 29 January to allow us to spring-clean! We will also have the answermachine on for most of the day, so that we can get on with cleaning and tidying. If people have come a long way, then we will do our best to make sure that they can see the museum and find out what is in our archive and library. We will be open at the weekend!

Historic Buildings in Wiltshire

2012-01-24T15:34:00.003Z

This Saturday - a lecture by Colin Johns at Wiltshire Heritage Museum.

The Restoration of Historic Buildings in Wiltshire is the full title of the lecture by Colin, who is architect and architectural adviser to the Wiltshire Historic Buildings Trust. Saturday 28 January 2012.

Lectures start at 2.30pm and last approx. one hour. Tickets cost £6 from the Museum (£3.50 for WANHS members. Contact us by e-mail, telephone 01380 727369, or book on-line via our website: www.wiltshireheritage.org.uk/events.

Museum Spring-clean

2012-01-20T23:50:00.002Z

We will be undertaking our Spring-clean in the week of 30 January - 3 February, and the Museum and Library will not be open. As we will be hard at work behind the scenes, the answerphone will also be switched on for much of the time. Although we will not be open, if people have travelled some distance, then we will do our best to help.

Interested in Volunteering?

2012-01-12T11:44:00.002Z

Want to help at your local Museum and Library? Come along on Tuesday 24 January to find out more.

Volunteers are being sought to help run the Wiltshire Heritage Museum in Devizes. We are particularly looking for volunteers to help in the shop/reception at lunchtimes and weekends and to help with events, including refreshments. Other opportunities are also available.

Interested? Want to find out more? Then come along to Wiltshire Heritage Museum, Long Street, Devizes - just a short walk from the Market Place. Tuesday 24 January between 10.30am and 1pm.

If you are interested in helping but unable to attend, then please contact the Assistant Curator and Volunteer Co-Ordinator, Heather Ault via e-mail - h.ault@wiltshireheritage.org.uk or 01380 727369 (Monday to Wednesday).

A wall painting at Highworth Church, Wiltshire

2012-01-09T16:23:00.002Z

Wednesday 11 January - a Lunchtime talk by Dr Ellie Pridgeon and Roger Rosewell. Starts 1.10pm and last approx. 45 minutes.

Treasures from the Archive: A Wall Painting at Highworth Church (Wiltshire) will describe the recent discovery of the Highworth mural tracing at the Wiltshire Heritage Museum, and their subsequent research on Highworth Church.

During recent reorganisation at Wiltshire Heritage Museum, a 19th Century wall painting tracing depicting St Eloy came to light. This is a highly-significant discovery, not least because of the rarity of the tracings, and the fact that they provide a source for the lost 15th Century Highworth wall painting. Ellie and Roger will talk about the original function of the Highworth mural and provide a contextual overview of wall painting in Wiltshire.

Ellie is now Assistant Archivist at the Science Museum (London and Wroughton), but until recently was Archivist and Librarian at the Wiltshire Heritage Museum. She wrote her PhD on medieval wall paintings (2008).

Roger is author of the acclaimed Medieval Wall Paintings in English and Welsh Churches (Boydell and Brewer 2008). He is also editor of the on-line stained-glass journal Vidimus.

The two speakers have recently completed a collaborative article for the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine: Wiltshire Studies on the Highworth wall painting.

Story of Devizes - request for your memories

2012-01-03T15:25:00.004Z

This Saturday - do you have any stories about Devizes and its history? Do you have any objects that are relevant to the Story of Devizes? Would you like to share your memories, or perhaps tell us why the town is important to you?

Then come along to the Museum between 10.30am and 12.30pm on Saturday 14 January, Thursday 19 January or Thursday 26 January. Pre-booking not necessary - just come along.

If you are interested, but unable to attend any of these sessions, please contact the Assistant Curator, Kerry Nickels, on 01380 727369 or e-mail wanhs@wiltshireheritage.org.uk.

Further information is available on the Wiltshire Heritage Museum website - Story of Devizes.

Finds Sorting - beginners welcome

2012-01-03T15:22:00.000Z

There is a finds sorting (beginners welcome) at Wiltshire Heritage Museum on Saturday 7 January at 10am. Shaun will also be there starting on the consolidation of the Moots project. All welcome, please pop in.

Christmas Closure

2011-12-21T12:18:00.001Z

We will be closed from 12noon Friday 23 December to 10am Wednesday 28 December.

We will also be closed from 5pm on Friday 30 December to 10am Tuesday 3 January.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Additional Stonehenge lecture

2011-12-09T16:50:00.005Z

Disappointed to miss David Field's lecture The Stonehenge Landscape Project: recent analytical survey and investigation in the World Heritage Site? Good news - he will be giving the lecture again on 10 March 2012. Book on-line now to reserve your ticket ...

Holiday Activities for Children

2011-12-09T16:46:00.004Z

Looking for something to do before Christmas. Why not come to one of our Christmas themed holiday activities - Wintery Crafts on Tuesday 20 December or a Victorian Christmas on Wednesday 21 December.

Two sessions per day and cost just £3.50.

St Francis of Assisi and the First Christmas

2011-12-09T16:40:00.002Z

A lunchtime talk by Vanessa Cash of the University of Bristol.

Bring your lunch - we'll provide mince pies and tea/coffee! £2.50. Pre-booking not required.

Lunchtime talks start at 1.10pm and last about 45 minutes.

Village Church Music and Musicians

2011-11-17T14:49:00.002Z

Lecture on 26 November at 2.30pm. By Dr Alan Dodge Village Church Music and Musicians in 18th Century Wessex will describe the old tradition in which groups of male singers sang in churches from special galleries. The singers were often accompanied by instruments such as cellos, violins and clarinets and a number of local musicians composed their own psalms and settings.

For more information and to book tickets visit the website.

John Girvan's Night at the Museum

2011-11-16T14:09:00.002Z

Find out more about the Night at the Museum on 1 December - go to the event page on our website.

Remembrance Sunday - late opening

2011-11-11T10:26:00.002Z

We will be opening at 12.30pm on Sunday 13 November to allow staff and volunteers to participate in local Remembrance Day commemorations. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Please note - Devizes Market Place and Long Street will be closed from approx. 10.30am until after noon for the Remembrance Sunday parade.

Wiltshire's Agrarian History - Sat 12 Nov

2011-11-02T15:01:00.004Z

A lecture looking at Wiltshire's place in the agrarian history of England by Professor John Chartres - 12 November 2.30pm.

Agriculture in Wiltshire was vastly more important in the past, socially and economically, than it now is, but we still have a lot of countryside in the county. Professor Kerridge and Dr Thirsk have identified different distinctive ‘farming countries’ in England, based on geology and climatology and distance from the London market, besides other considerations. We all know about ‘chalk and cheese’. Professor Chartres will set the agricultural history of Wiltshire in a national context over time.

Professor John Chartres has recently retired as Professor of Economic History at the University of Leeds. He has written extensively on agriculture and the agrarian economy of England, and on various related subjects such as coaching inns in London and the history of cider. He has long been a leading figure in the British Agricultural History Society, having been its Secretary and its President, as well as Editor of its scholarly journal, the Agricultural History Review.

Saturday afternoon lectures start at 2.30pm and last approx. one hour.
Tickets cost £5 (£3 WANHS members)

The Past is Another Country

2011-11-02T14:51:00.003Z

New exhibition opens 5 November at Museum.

This exhibition by the Elementals Art Group has been inspired by the prehistory of Wiltshire and is the culmination of a project by six different artists. Using maps, diagrams, artefacts in museums and walks in the landscape they have 're-created' the past in paintings, print-making and mixed media, as well as a twelve verse illustrated poem.

Open until 2 January 2012. Free Entry.