News
Photo of Heytesbury by Diane Vose
On the Margin
When working on a parish for the VCH, one of the first things to establish is its boundaries, because these define the parameters of the task in hand.
Tea Meetings in Victorian Wiltshire
Every September cups and saucers, mugs and plates, are pressed into service for cancer charity Macmillan’s Coffee Morning. This nationwide event raises much-needed funds for the charity, but in the 19th and early 20th centuries it was tea, rather than coffee, that was the beverage of choice for fund-raising events.
The Uncomplimentary Perspectives of John Britton
An insight into how historians prejudices can effect the way our local history is recorded
Nursing in Whiteparish
Little is known of nursing care in Whiteparish until the very end of the 19th century. A midwife was working in Whiteparish by 1811, who was required to attend to the poor, but most nursing would have been provided informally by family members, friends and neighbours.
Legends of Clarendon Palace
Set on an isolated hillside, far from any village or public road, the ruins of medieval Clarendon Palace are a romantic and atmospheric sight. Once a palace for medieval kings, who came here to enjoy hunting deer in Clarendon Park, the buildings fell into disuse under the Tudors.
Duffle Coats in Chippenham
Find out more about the kindness of Robert Sadler and the duffle coat
Earth Day & John Aubrey
A concern for the environment and awareness of environmental change is nothing new. In the seventeenth century, the Wiltshire antiquarian, John Aubrey, was aware of the changing landscapes around his childhood home at Kington St Michael
An Exceptional Woman
An article by John Chandler about his meeting and the life of Heather Tanner.