Somerset Archives and Local Studies

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Provides access to the Somerset Archives and Local Studies Library For more information visit: https://swheritage.org.uk/somerset-archives/

Provides access to the Somerset Archives and Local Studies Library and the Historic Environment Record. It is part of The South West Heritage Trust, an independent charity committed to protecting and celebrating Somerset and Devon’s rich heritage.

03/11/2026

Please read before your next visit

The Museum of Somerset is temporarily closing in phases as we prepare for our landmark Chew Valley Hoard exhibition in 2027 and undertake essential conservation works.

These important improvements will help safeguard the historic Grade I listed building and collections for future generations. A major part of the project will see the floor of the Great Hall carefully removed and reinstated.

While our doors are closed, the team will be working behind the scenes to create the museum's most ambitious exhibition yet, including the display of coins from the nationally significant Chew Valley Hoard.

Phase 1: 3 – 28 November 2026
Need to know:
• The Museum remains open for visits
• The Great Hall (Foundations Stones Gallery and Claiming The Land Gallery) is closed with a revised route in place for visitors
• The Courtyard Café is open
• The RPS International Photography Exhibition 167 is open
• Events will continue as advertised

Phase 2: From 1 Dec 2026
While contractors are working on site the museum will be closed. This is to ensure the safety of collections, staff, visitors and volunteers.
Need to know:
• The Museum is closed to visits during this period
• The Courtyard Café is closed
• Santa’s Grotto will take place in the Almshouse Grotto and in Castle House. Bookings are open!

Thank you for your patience as we invest in the future of the museum. Subject to the completion of work the museum is expected to reopen in late February/early March. You will be the first to know and we look forward to sharing more about the Chew Valley Hoard exhibition.

Questions?
• Visit the FAQs on our website: https://swheritage.org.uk/museum-of-somerset/faqs/?campaignkw=FAQs&_linkgroups=FAQs
• DM us and we’ll get right back to you

03/11/2026

As part of Explore Your Archive, we’re providing a free, drop-in surgery for one-to-one guidance to introduce you to the searchroom and our resources on Monday, 23 November.

There's no need to book! Just drop in between 10am & 12pm. We look forward to seeing you 🙂 https://swheritage.org.uk/events/archives-drop-in-surgery/ 🎶

31/10/2026

It's Halloween, the day when the veils between the worlds thin and ghosts are said to walk amongst us.

Well, in May 1947 they were putting in a shift at the United Steel Company's factory in Sheffield (ref. A/DQN/16/10220). To the right of the image we clearly have a headless man and his see-through companion working away at what we think is an early prototype machine for Ghostbusters Inc... 🎃👻

28/10/2026

Strike up the band - we've reached 2000 followers! A big thank you to everyone 🎉

Talking of bands, does anyone recognise these musicians? The photograph is taken from the collection of the late David Wheadon of Chard, a commercial photographer (ref. A/EOM; SM 242) 🎶📸

27/10/2026

Unfortunately, we have had to cancel our Silent Book Club for this Friday (31 October 2026) due to unforeseen circumstances. We're sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

27/10/2026

It's the final Friday of October this week which can mean only one thing... it's time for another (11am-1pm) at the Somerset Heritage Centre!

If you fancy something a bit spooky to read for we have a selection of books on 👻👻!

Further details can be found here 👉 https://swheritage.org.uk/events/silent-book-club/

22/10/2026

Rather depressingly, not many of us are old enough to have purchased albums on cassette or were more vinyl/CD people! One of us displayed archivist traits at a young age as they made ‘user copies’ of their cassette albums so that the originals didn’t get chewed up in their stereo!

Anyway, here's a list of some of the first albums on cassette that we remember buying....

🎸 Slow Hand by Eric Clapton (apparently the track ‘Wonderful Tonight’ was written for the Taunton born Patty Boyd!)

🎶 Now 1 (various artists)

🎤 Kylie by, err… Kylie

🕺 Move To This by Cathy Dennis

🎧 Spice (Spice Girls)

How about our followers? Anyone care to share their first cassette purchase?!

21/10/2026

For Apple Day we bring you, well apples, lots of apples, what else would we suggest?! 🍏🍎🍏🍎

Part of the photographic archive of S W Kenyon of Wellington is this image from September 1947 of men loading apples into an apple washer and elevator at Britton, Mitchell and Sons of Chard, wholesale w**e and spirit merchants, brewers and c***r manufacturers. We assume that these apples were soon to become c***r! The collection also includes images of the c***r presses and crushers inside the building [document ref. A/DQN/17/10583].

20/10/2026

Pssssst! Did you know, that one of our archivists doesn’t really understand a majority of what is written on a deed? And that another one, doesn’t know their regnal years? These are the secrets we’d rather you didn’t know, and we keep them secret by having tips and tricks that help us understand what we’re looking at.

And you too can learn these tips and tricks, at our half day Common Phrases course in Weston super Mare on 3 November (10am-1pm). Archivists Esther and Eve will be on hand to talk about interpreting probate records, picking through the wordiness of deeds and looking at dates on documents (which can be more confusing than you think!).

Bookings are open now on our website, and we can’t wait to see you there!

Further details can be found here 👉 https://swheritage.org.uk/events/common-phrases/

16/10/2026

We 💕 coming to Weston super Mare Library for the North Somerset Archives Service SO MUCH, that we’re coming back. In between visits. And this time, we’re bringing a course!

Come and join us for our Common Phrases half-day course, to learn about reading and interpreting classic record sets, like probate records, parish records and deeds. Archivists will be on hand to impart their wisdom, and it’s all taking place in the auspicious location of the Frederick Wood Room/North Somerset Studies Library on 3 November (10am-1pm).

Bookings are open now on our website, and we can’t wait to see you there!

Further details can be found here 👉 https://swheritage.org.uk/events/common-phrases/

Address

Somerset Heritage Centre, Brunel Way, Norton Fitzwarren
Taunton
TA26SF

Website

http://www.swheritage.org.uk/somerset-archives

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