AN interactive exhibition looking back at Westbury during its most prosperous period launches at The Laverton next Friday.

‘Victorian Westbury – a tale of industry, enterprise, philanthropy and political ambition’ will be launched at 1pm on January 27 and will be open to the public from Monday (January 30).

With the use of interactive displays and audio commentary, the exhibition will document the activities of the town during the time of Abraham Laverton, from his birth in 1816 until his death in 1886.

The exhibition is being headed up by The Laverton’s marketing manager, Lilly Bale.

She said: “A lot of hard work has gone into preparing for the exhibition, mainly getting all of the information together, but we're delighted that it's now only a week away and confident people will find it informative.

“Information has been gathered from a number of different sources including local historians, Trowbridge Museum and nearby heritage centres.

“The town crier and mayor will be in attendance at the opening on Friday and we’ve sent out 200 invitations to local people.

“It was such an important time during the industrial revolution and this exhibition provides people with the perfect opportunity to find out more about their heritage.”

The interactive boards, which will be on display on the bottom floor of the building, can be easily moved and it is hoped that local schools and museums will hire them from The Laverton so that more people get to see them.

In July last year, the Laverton Institute Trust received a Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) Sharing Heritage grant for £9,500, which has contributed towards the exhibition.

Abraham Laverton, MP for Westbury in the 1870s, owned the Angel Mill cloth mill and built Prospect Square to house his employees. The exhibition focuses on his story and the impact he had on the town.

For more information, contact the town council on 01373 822232.