A Lottery grant will ensure a treasure trove of valuable historical documents can be kept in Wiltshire.

The archives of the Lacock Abbey estate can be bought by Wiltshire Council, using £492,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The documents will then be made available to the public.

The Lacock Archive dates back to the 12th century and catalogues the changing history of the abbey.

It includes more than 100 boxes of the estate’s records, including early deeds and charters, maps, letters, diaries, photographs, recipe books and naval records.

Among the items is an illuminated pardon for Sir William Sharington, signed by Edward VI and dated 1549.

The collection sheds light on the many owners of Lacock Abbey, such as the Talbot family including William Henry Fox Talbot, a pioneer of photography.

The Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, along with support from the local community, managed to secure the Heritage Lottery funding to retain the valuable resource.

Alan MacRae, chairman of Corsham Area Board which helped with the funding bid, said: “We are proud to have helped keep this historical gem within Wiltshire.

“Any large estate or family archive is like a complex jigsaw puzzle and it is wonderful that this collection will be kept together for future generations to enjoy.”

The bulk of the grant will purchase the archive, while £72,000 will be used for conservation, cataloguing and making the collection accessible to the public through an interactive website and mobile phone app.

Richard Bellamy, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund South West, said: “The Heritage Lottery Fund is delighted to be supporting this project to preserve the Lacock Abbey collection for people of all ages to learn from and enjoy; many for the first time. “By making this fascinating archive more widely available, particularly through the use of 21st century digital technology such as a website and a mobile phone app, Wiltshire Council will help to provide a real insight into the life of the people of Lacock over hundreds of years, ensuring these gems of our past are not overlooked or forgotten.”

Anyone interested in helping with the project can email ros.noad@wiltshire.gov.uk.