Chance to meet Wilts ancestors (From Wiltshire Times)

Chance to meet Wilts ancestors

8:09am Saturday 13th September 2008

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TIME travel really does exist at the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre as it holds it annual open day.

This year's event will be held on September 27 between 9.30am and 5.30pm, following last year's successful day, which was attended by more than 700 people.

This year the guest speaker will be TV archaeologist Julian Richards.

People will have an opportunity to look behind the scenes at the history centre in Cocklebury Road, Chippenham, which is jointly run by Wiltshire County Council and Swindon Borough Council.

The centre holds seven miles of unique archives going back 800 years.

There will be a chance to talk with county archaeologists, handle artefacts more than 250,000 years old and see museum objects being conserved in state-of-the-art laboratories, where conservators have something different to work with every day.

There will be exhibitions, including old photographs of Wiltshire and Swindon, and a chance to meet Wiltshire and Swindon's local heroes of times past.

Children's activities will also be held throughout the day. At 2pm Julian Richards, the archaeologist from television's Meet the Ancestors, will give his talk. Tickets are limited for this, and can be obtained free in advance from the History Centre.

Mary Douglas, county council cabinet member for culture, said: "This open day gives people an opportunity to look back in time and experience some of the rich heritage of our county.

"It reflects our commitment to help people to discover, participate in, and contribute to, local history."

The whole day is free and everyone is welcome. More details from the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre on 01249 705500 or email archives@wiltshire.gov.uk

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