A NEW exhibition has opened at The Laverton in Westbury giving residents an interactive look at their home during the Victorian period.

Made possible by a grant of £9,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Laverton Institute Trust opened the doors of the centre in Bratton Road to the public on Monday (January 30) to showcase the documented history of the town during the time of Abraham Laverton, between the years of 1816 and 1886.

Amanda McCann, assistant town clerk, said: “The opening went really well. We had an invitation-only event on Friday where 40 to 50 people attended and then the public opening on Monday. The exhibition is free for people to view, our doors will be open so people can come in and ask to have a look round. The idea of the exhibit is to give something to the people of Westbury and show them the rich history behind the town.”

Entitled ‘Victorian Westbury – a tale of industry, enterprise, philanthropy and political ambition’, the display has been put together by historians, the Trowbridge Museum and heritage centres who have pooled their resources to create an interactive walk through time.

“We have displays which show key points in the town’s heritage as well as audio voicescapes. During the opening the voicescapes weren’t up and running with the display but were available online for people to listen to. We are aiming to have all of the audio commentaries completed and functioning by the end of February,” added Mrs McCann.

Abraham Laverton, MP for Westbury in the 1870s, opened the Laverton Institute in 1873. It was designed to provide a space for educational, religious, philanthropic, scientific and political purposes. As well as being the local MP, Laverton also owned the Angel Mill cloth mill and built Prospect Square to house his workers. The new exhibition at the Laverton focuses on his life and the impact he had on the town.

“Abraham Laverton gave the building to the people of Westbury and now we are giving the exhibition to the people to carry on his memory and the work he did for the community,” added Mrs McCann.

Anyone wishing to take a look at the exhibition can contact Westbury Town Council by calling 01373 822232 or visit the offices at The Laverton in Bratton Road.