Discussion Group talk: Somersetshire Coal Canal – An update on the origins, recent past and current restoration.

Discussion Group talk: Somersetshire Coal Canal – An update on the origins, recent past and current restoration.

  A summary of the history of this interesting local canal and work in progress, led by Derrick Hunt

Wednesday 4th December 2024 at 7.30pm in the Library meeting room.

Discussion Group covers a wide range of subjects, and if you haven’t been along to a session yet, do try it out.The meetings take place on the first Wednesday of each month except January and August, at...

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Discussion Group talk: A history of Bradford floods

Discussion Group talk: A history of Bradford floods

Bradford has probably always been afflicted with flooding of the River Avon. Danny O’Callaghan will lead the November Discussion Group talk on the subject on Wednesday 6th November.

The meetings take place on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30pm in the Library Meeting Room, and are FREE to members. Non-members can attend one session before being asked to join. If you...

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Discussion Group Talk: Thomas Fuller, designer of Bradford on Avon Town Hall & national architect of Canada

Discussion Group Talk: Thomas Fuller, designer of Bradford on Avon Town Hall & national architect of Canada

Julian Orbach, architectural historian and Museum Trustee, will be delving into the life and works of architect Thomas Fuller (1823-1898), including Bradford’s Town Hall and Canada’s Parliament building in Ottawa.

Wednesday 4th September 2024 at 7.30pm in the Library meeting room.

Discussion Group covers a wide range of subjects, and if you haven’t been...

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The Museum Autumn Lecture 2024

The Museum Autumn Lecture 2024

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Discussion Group Talk: The Village of Holt

Discussion Group Talk: The Village of Holt

Rob Arkell, who is a resident of the village and has carried out archaeological investigations there, will talk about some aspects of Holt.

Wednesday 3rd July 2024 at 7.30pm in the Library meeting room.

Discussion Group covers a wide range of subjects, and if you haven’t been along to a session yet, do try it out.The meetings take place on the first Wednesday of each...

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Discussion Group talk: An update on the Portable Antiquities Scheme in Wiltshire

Discussion Group talk: An update on the Portable Antiquities Scheme in Wiltshire

Sophie Hawke, the Finds Liaison Officer for the County and a former Trustee of this Museum, will tell us about some of the interesting archaeological finds that have been submitted for recording.

Wednesday 5th June at 7.30 in the Library meeting room.

Discussion Group covers a wide range of subjects, and if you haven’t been along to a session yet, do try it out.The...

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Discussion Group talk Cancelled -speaker unwell

Discussion Group talk Cancelled -speaker unwell

The topic for the May meeting, led by Roy Canham, will be the excavations at Horton House in Church Street that were carried out by the late Adrian Powell in 2000 and the beginnings of Saxon Bradford. Work on writing up these excavations has been undertaken by the Museum Research Group and Roy would like to take this opportunity to summarise progress to date.   Hope you can join...

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Discussion Group talk: The Study of Medieval roof tiles and other roof furniture.

Discussion Group talk: The Study of Medieval roof tiles and other roof furniture.

Jane Mann and Becky Clarke have been studying medieval ceramic roof tiles and other parts of roof-coverings from archaeological sites around Wiltshire. Not Just plain tiles, but the more complex tiles that lined the ridges of roofs, usually ornately carved and glazed. They will be joined by historian Martyn Whittock who will give a short history of the medieval Clarendon Palace near...

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Special Exhibition: Eric Walrond, a Harlem Renaissance writer in 1940s Bradford on Avon

Eric Walrond by Clifton Powell, courtesy of Wiltshire Museum

Saturday 16th March – Sunday 7th April, 10am – 4pm daily at the West Barn, Barton Farm Admission free

Bradford on Avon Museum, in conjunction with the Bradford on Avon Preservation Trust, is pleased to announce our special exhibition for 2024: Eric Walrond, a Harlem Renaissance writer in 1940s Bradford on Avon.

Regarded as a major literary figure of...

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Discussion Group: A selective history of Broughton Gifford

Map supporting the talk A partial history of Broughton Gifford

Wednesday 7th February, 7:30pm in the Library Meeting Room

Our speaker for this meeting is Discussion Group regular, Rob Arkell.  Rob’s talks are always fascinating and thoroughly researched. Following on from the success of last year’s ‘A Selective History of Monkton Farleigh’, in this session, Rob will be leading us through ...

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December Discussion Group Meeting: Recent Work at the Tithe Barn

December Discussion Group Meeting: Recent Work at the Tithe Barn

Our next meeting is 7-30pm, Wednesday 6th December in the Library Meeting Room. John Samways has kindly agreed to report on recent work at the Barton Farm Tithe Barn. Look forward to seeing...

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Annual Fundraiser Guest Lecture: Analysis of human remains from archaeological sites

Time Team and Wessex Archaeology osteologist Jacqueline McKinley will present this year’s lecture at St Margaret’s Hall, Bradford on Avon on Wednesday 22nd November. She is one of the leading experts in this country on osteoarchaeology, the study of human remains and on burial rites, with experience in the field dating back to 1977.

The bar opens at 7.00 pm and the talk...

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November Discussion Group meeting: Bearfield Church

Bearfield Church, formerly Countess of Huntingdon's Chapel

Robert Beesley will present a summary of his work at Bearfield Church, where he has been examining the burial ground and baptism records.  He will also outline the history of the church and its congregation.

7-30pm on Wednesday 1st November, in the Library Meeting Room as usual.

We hope you can join...

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Discussion Group: Researching and portraying the development of local landscape, both rural and urban

Thresher map of Winsley 1727

Wednesday 6th September, 7:30pm in the Library Meeting Room

Our next Discussion Group meeting will be led by Roy Canham, former Museum trustee, former County Archaeologist for Wiltshire, and regular Discussion Group contributor, and I know it will be full of Roy’s trademark energy, enthusiasm and knowledge.

The topic will be the Development of the...

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CANCELLED – Heritage Open Days – Bradford on Avon Town Walk 2023

Museum logo

Unfortunately, we’ve had to cancel the Bradford on Avon Town Walk on Saturday and Sunday 9th/10th September, because of the forecast of record high temperatures. Taking a large group for a walk in temperatures that might hit 30°C no longer feels like the safe and responsible thing to do.

We’re very sorry for cancelling at short notice. We hope to be able to reschedule the...

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Discussion Group: Chapel Delights – The architectural pleasures of nonconformist chapels

Bradford on Avon Old Baptist Church

Wednesday 5th July, 7:30pm in the Library Meeting Room

Our next Discussion Group meeting is on Wednesday 5th July at 7:30pm in the Library Meeting Room, where James Holden will be discussing:

Chapel Delights – The architectural pleasures of nonconformist chapels, an illustrated talk with examples from Bradford on Avon and...

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Discussion Group: A Selective History of Monkton Farleigh

A Selective History of Monkton Farleigh

Wednesday 7th July, 7:30pm, Library Meeting Room

Our speaker for this meeting is one of our Discussion Group regulars – Rob Arkell.  As any of you who have been to one of Rob’s talks before will know, Rob is a great speaker and always brings us a thoroughly researched, fascinating topic.  Next week will be no...

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Discussion Group: Recent Finds from the Portable Antiquities Scheme

PAS talk

Wednesday 3rd May, 7:30pm, Library Meeting Room

In this Discussion Group meeting Sophie Hawke will be our speaker.

Sophie has been involved with Bradford on Avon Museum for a long time, including a 20 year stint as a trustee. Sophie has been working for Portable Antiquities Scheme as Finds Liaison Officer for Wiltshire since early 2021,...

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Discussion Group: Wiltshire Follies

Museum logo

Wednesday 1st March, 7:30pm, Library Meeting Room

In this Discussion Group meeting Jonathan Holt will be talking about Wiltshire Follies.

Wiltshire is full of follies which can take many forms – towers, summer houses, grottoes, shell houses, eyecatchers, mock ruins, temples, hermitages, obelisks, pagodas, rustic...

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Discussion Group: The Medieval Deer Parks of the Bradford Hundred

Medieval Deer Parks poster

Wednesday 1st February, 7:30pm, Library Meeting Room

In this Discussion Group session, Rob Arkell will be talking about The Medieval Deer Parks of the Bradford Hundred. As anyone who has attended Discussion Group in the past will know, Rob is a regular speaker and his talks are always hugely interesting and informative, so I do...

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