Collections highlights
Many of the objects in our collections have fascinating stories to tell. Here are just a few ...
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Far from the Madding Crowd – 1967 film
Read moreMany scenes in the 1967 film of 'Far from the Madding Crowd' were shot in Devizes. The production turned Devizes Market Place back in time
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Iron Age – glass beads
Read moreFound in Swallowcliffe, these beads are from the Iron Age and show the innovation they had during this time, this was the first-time glass was
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Collection of Melksham photographs
Read moreVolunteer Anna has taken an indepth look at one of her local towns, Melksham. She has discovered photographs of the area in our archive. Melksham,
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Microscope belonging to William Cunnington III
William Cunnington III, Antiquarians, Beaker, History of the Society, Victorian, Stonehenge landscapeRead moreWilliam Cunnington III was the driving force behind the founding of the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society in 1853. He was the grandson of
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Holy Cross Church, Seend
Read moreStudent volunteer Anna takes a look at Holy Cross Church in Seend... Holy Cross Church, is a Grade 1 listed church (in 1962), funded by
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39-41 Long Street – who lived here before the Museum?
Read moreThe Wiltshire Museum is housed in 5 buildings - 2 Georgian town houses, a Georgian school, a Victorian entrance and a 1980's gallery. The buildings
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Portrait of Peggy Guido (Mrs Cecily Margaret Piggott) by Frank Griffith
Read morePortrait of Peggy Guido by Frank Griffith (1889-1979), painted in c.1938 Peggy Guido was President of the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society, jointly with
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Tourmaline axe-head
Read moreVolunteer Olly gives us an insight into one of his favourite objects in the Museum... This beautiful artefact is a perforated axe-head of tourmaline granite,
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Society Trumpet
Read moreUsed on outings of the Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Society to call the group back together! In the Victorian period, the outings lasted for
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Saxon coin pendant – Edward the Confessor
Read moreSilver Anglo-Saxon penny of Edward the Confessor, modified into a pendant. The penny was struck by the moneyer Beorhtwine at the Wallingford mint. It is
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Colchester brooch
Read moreRoman copper alloy Colchester derivative developed T-shaped brooch, probably dating to AD 75-200. An unusual find with lead inlay. Found in Bremhill, 2019. Donated to
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Roman armilla
Read moreFragment of a decorated copper alloy Roman penannular bracelet, probably the terminal of an armilla, dating to AD 43-99. Similar bracelets have been identified as
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Roman coin hoard
Read moreHoard of 2,384 Roman copper-alloy coins from Pewsey. The group consists of mostly 4th century (330 – 348 AD) nummus and a small number of
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The Story of George Hartford: Watercolour of Stanton St Quintin Church
By John BucklerRead moreIn this beautiful watercolour by John Buckler, you can see the church at Stanton St Quintin, Wiltshire. Despite its beauty its graveyard holds a tragic
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Sarsen stone cutters goggles
Read moreThese steel framed goggles were used by the Free family who had a sarsen stone cutting business at Fyfield from the 1850s to 1939. Sarsen-working
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Map of Wiltshire – John Speed
By John SpeedRead moreOur Archive and Library houses an intricate 1610 map of Wiltshire by famous cartographer John Speed (1552-1629). Speed's visually impressive maps of both county and
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Phil Harding’s Scout Uniform
Read moreA Scout Uniform, Shalbourne (Marlborough) Troop, which once belonged to archaeologist and TV broadcaster, Phil Harding. Alongside a picture of Phil and a friend in
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WW2 in Devizes: The Home Front
Read moreThis remarkable photograph shows the Parade held to celebrate 'Salute the Soldier Week' in early June 1944. US troops from their baseon the outskirts of
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WW2 in Devizes: Prisoner of War Diary
Read moreAlthough referred to as a diary, it is more accurately described as a humorous account of the daily life of a prisoner, written in rhyming
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Upton Lovell Shaman
Read moreBuried in a barrow at Upton Lovell, the Shaman was a metalworker and religious leader, in touch with the spirit world. He was buried in
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Lacock Cup
Read moreThe Lacock Cup was originally made as a drinking cup for feasting in the late medieval period and was subsequently used as a chalice at
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Women’s Land Army
Read morePhotograph of 'Land Girls' on a Wiltshire farm close to Devizes. The Women's Land Army boosted agricultural production during the Second World War as men
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Wiltshire Words – Dartnell and Goddard
Read moreA Glossary of Words used in the County of Wiltshire by George Edward Dartnell and the Rev. Edward Hungerford Goddard, MA, published for the English
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Wiltshire’s Grape Cups
Read moreThe Museum has in its collection several small pottery vessels that belong to a category of small ceramic containers found with Bronze Age burials, known
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Mammoth Tooth
Read moreWe have several mammoth teeth in the Museum collection. A couple of these discovered in Westbury were from a baby mammoth. The tooth pictured is
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