Four decades of protecting history and promoting civic pride is being celebrated by Chippenham Civic Society.

Since forming in 1974 the society has given grants to Chippenham Museum, put up blue heritage plaques and brought the Buttercross back to Market Place.

At one time the society used to buy and restore houses that were threatened with demolition, including some cottages on Foghamshire and a 1690 house on The Causeway.

It runs a lively social programme and currently has about 200 members.

Its next meeting, at the Yelde Hall on Saturday will celebrate its achievements with a series of displays and speakers on the archaeology and history of the hall, including its use as a fire station.

Star of the show will be the beautifully restored horsedrawn Merryweather Chippenham fire engine, returned to its home after many years at the Atwell Wilson Motor Museum in Calne.

Civic society treasurer Roger Backway said: “I do think we are still quite influential in the town; people do listen to what we say.”

Society members raised about £200,000 to bring back The Buttercross and it bears a plaque listing the people who contributed.

“The Buttercross was originally in Market Place but it was bought by the Manor House Hotel in Castle Combe to be used as a summer house,” said Mr Backway.

“When it was surplus to requirements in 1992 we did a fundraiser to move it back more or less where it was.

“It was where Barclays Bank is now.

“There was a large car park where the Buttercross is now, before it was pedestrianised.”

He said another notable achievement in recent years had been the bronze calf sculpture put up at the entrance to Borough Parade shopping centre last September, where the town’s cattle market was between 1910 and 1954.

The society also commissioned 15 blue plaques, mostly in 1990, which commemorate notable buildings around Chippenham, for instance the old 19th century Nestle factory on Bath Road, Brunel’s site office when the original station was built in 1841, and the former White Hart Inn where Oliver Cromwell lodged in 1649, where Iceland now stands.

Chairman Isabel Blackburn said: “The civic society has been a cornerstone in the cultural life of Chippenham for the last 40 years.

“We have a close working relationship with Chipp-enham Museum and Heritage Centre and are delighted that they have agreed to host this celebration of our work.

“We look forward to many more years of promoting pride in our lovely town.”

Entry to this Saturday’s conference, from 10am to 12.30pm, is by programme available from Chippenham Museum. It is free to members or £2 to non-members.