Wellington Local History & Museum Society

26/06/2026

Have you ever wondered what the symbols on Wellington’s Town Crest mean? We have a special window display in the museum to explain each symbol.
The museum is open 10-4 today and 10-1 Saturday.

24/06/2026

Photo of the month is this newspaper clipping of Ralph Buttle. He was a longtime resident of Wellington and a keen metal detectorist. He discovered this Civil War sword in the ’90s while scanning gardens on Foxdown Hill. At the time of the Civil War, a manor house stood on what is now the playing field, held by Parliamentary forces. The manor house was destroyed by royalist forces attacking from Foxdown Hill, and the sword was lost in the mayhem. The sword is now on display at the Museum, where you can also peruse a copy of Ralph Buttle’s 1991 memoir Boyhood in Wellington.

23/06/2026

Cancelled. The talk on Thursday has been cancelled due to the heat.

20/06/2026

Wellington Museum will be joining in with the festival next Saturday at St John’s Church with several history interest tables inside.

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St John’s Church presents an events packed Patronal Festival over the weekend of June 27 and 28. Bell ringers will announce the start of the festival at noon, followed by Clipping the Tower which will involve several hundred people from the church and Wellington community to form a chain all the way round the church. This is an ancient custom organised by the Wellington Folk & Custom Society. To end the Saturday, there will be some incredible Morris Dancing from Bootstrap Border Morris!! Tea, coffee, cakes and refreshments will be available. On the Sunday, there will be a special 9.30 am Communion service and later in the afternoon at 5.30 pm, the Patronal Festival will end with Ad Hoc Voices performing Festival Evensong. Entry to all events are free and everyone is welcome.

18/06/2026

A new booklet has hit our shelves in the museum. Did you know we had an American forces camp in Wellington? Come and find out more by buying a booklet from our publications display. Lots of other publications available too from local industries to Medieval Wellington.
Open 10-4 weekdays & 10-1 on Saturdays.

09/06/2026

Tonedale Self-Storage has stepped forward to support the Museum by providing secure storage space for a significant number of historical artefacts the Museum currently has no room to display.

The Museum, which holds an extensive collection celebrating Wellington’s rich industrial, social, and cultural heritage, has long faced the challenge of limited display and storage capacity. With new donations arriving each year, many important items have been carefully preserved but kept out of public view simply due to lack of space until they are chosen to be exhibited.

Recognising the importance of protecting and preserving the town’s history, Tonedale Self-Storage has offered dedicated storage units at its Milverton Road facility to house these artefacts safely and securely. The units provide a clean, dry, monitored environment with controlled access — ideal conditions for long term preservation.

Julie Madsen, Director of Tonedale Self-Storage, said:
“Wellington Museum plays a vital role in keeping our local history alive. When we learned they were struggling for space, we knew we could help. We’re proud to support the Museum and ensure these artefacts are properly cared for until they can be displayed.”

Mike Menhenitt, Chairman of Wellington Museum added:
“We are incredibly grateful to Tonedale Self-Storage for their generosity. This support allows us to protect items that would otherwise be at risk and gives us the breathing room we need as we plan future exhibitions.”

The partnership reflects a shared commitment to preserving Wellington’s heritage and ensuring that future generations can continue to learn from and enjoy the town’s historical treasures.
For more information about Wellington Museum please visit www.wellingtonmuseum.org.uk and Tonedale Self-Storage, visit www.tonedaleselfstorage.co.uk or contact 01823 669501
The picture shows Mike Menhenitt, Chairman of Wellington Museum and Julie Madsen, Director of Tonedale Self-Storage.

04/06/2026

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This week is and today we celebrate the keepers of our history: Wellington Local History & Museum Society. This group is made up entirely of volunteers who work as stewards, curators, archivists, and beyond.

After a refurb over the winter Wellington Museum is having a great 2026 season and welcoming plenty of visitors who are keen to learn more about the town's history.

28/05/2026

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Thank You Wellington! 🙏❤️
It was a warm one, but you were a wonderful bunch of people tonight - and came with stories of your own too, which was fantastic.

A big thank you to the Wellington Local History & Museum Society for allowing me to come and tell a few Somerset stories. It was great fun!

Drop me an email if you'd like a Knight Tales talk to come to your venue!
📩 [email protected]

26/05/2026

This coming Thursday 28th May will see Luke Knight telling stories from around the area, which will include not only Wellington but also from the Blackdown and the Quantocks. Luke is a storyteller and historian and makes videos for his social media channel, Knight’s Tales. The event takes place at Wellington Prep School commencing at 7.30pm. Admission £3 members, £4 non-members.

25/05/2026

The photo of the month from our archives is this one of a Gospel Car called Liberty.

Gospel Cars or Gospel Caravans were used by the Methodists in the late 19th/early 20th century as portable chapels, usually travelling around isolated villages. If a congregation was large, they could be preached at from the platform outside; if it was small, they could be invited inside. This photo was taken by A. E. French, a Wellington-based photographer active between 1891-1908. It would be interesting to know where it was taken and if the Car was locally owned. Wellington already had two Methodist chapels at that date, but perhaps the Car was used as outreach in the surrounding villages.