THE Atworth History Group has reflected on an ‘interesting and varied’ 2022.
The group started the year off with a talk about the history of Salisbury, then over the following months they learned about the Roman ‘Fates’ sculptures found in Calne, the coins that would have been used in Atworth since Roman times, and Ralph Allen who became Postmaster of Bath at the age of 19, and who subsequently supplied much of the stone used in the redevelopment of Bath.
Next, was a talk about the history of the computer, followed by the lives of highwaymen and the story of Trowbridge. Their year closed with a fascinating look at life on Guernsey during the German occupation from 1940 to 1945.
A spokesperson said, “During the summer, a group of us walked to the Speke monument near Wadswick. John Hanning Speke was an English explorer who is credited with discovering the source of the River Nile. We also enjoyed a wonderful guided tour around Salisbury Cathedral.
“2023 marks the 50th anniversary of the Atworth History Group, and in addition to a full programme of speakers, our chairman, Gervase O’Donohoe, will be giving a talk entitled ‘A history of Atworth from the Romans to the third millennium.’ It is hoped that many non-members will come to this special talk, so please look out for it during the summer.
“Also, the Atworth museum is being refurbished and expanded, allowing many more exhibits to be displayed. The museum is open from 2pm to 4pm on the last Sunday of each month from March to October.
“We have a full programme of speakers lined up for 2023, starting with Nick Goodall on Monday 9th January who will speak about the history of Stonar School in Atworth. For further information, please see our website: www.westwilts-communityweb.com/ site/Atworth-History-Group
“The Atworth History Group meets on the first Monday of each month in Atworth Village Hall at 7.30pm. Visitors are very welcome at the modest cost of £5 for the evening, or you may wish to join for an annual subscription of £15.”
