Ref. 71716-24THE history of a village near Swindon has been preserved for posterity in a museum which has been set up in a former cemetery chapel.

On display is a unique collection of photographs, documents and artefacts giving an insight into what life has been like at Chiseldon over the years from the Bronze Age period to the 21st century.

It's been collected and presented by a small group of people who make up the Chiseldon Local History Group.

Group chairman David Bailey said: "Three years ago we put on an exhibition of old photos of the village in a room at the local public house and we had 800 people visit during the weekend.

"It was so popular everybody said we should put on another exhibition, and then late last year the parish council approached us and said they had done up the old East Chapel in the Butts Road cemetery and asked if we would like to use it.

"We didn't have any money to pay an economical rent but the council were very generous and said they would give us use of the building for a nominal rent."

It was an offer the history group felt it could not refuse and now the village has a museum that many bigger communities would be proud of.

Said David: "We are very pleased with what we have here. It is something for all the village and in particular the children will now be able to see what life was like in years gone by."

But of course actually creating the museum took a lot of time and hard work.

David, who is 66, and doubles up as the museum's curator, said that the group started preparing the chapel for its change of use in January.

Some of the members put in up to 700 hours of their own time.

Exhibits include locally found Roman jewellery, among which is a bracelet and bronze brooch.

And of course no museum story of Chiseldon would be complete without a look back at the once thriving Chiseldon Army Camp.

Documents and a series of fascinating photographs trace the history of the army camp from when it was first opened in 1914 and how at one time during the Great War 10,000 men were stationed there.

When the British Army finally moved out men from the US 101st and 17th Airborne Divisions moved in during 1942 and many of them went on to take part in the D-Day landings and other major battles which were fought throughout Europe.

Chiseldon Army Camp shut down in 1962.

This was a year after the local rail station was closed to traffic.

The museum is open on the first and third Saturdays of every month between 11am and 3pm during April to October and admission is free.

Martin Vincent