Wotton Heritage Centre

05/01/2025

Looking for a part-time activity where you can meet people and explore/record the history of our town?

02/01/2025

Another one for the Diary.
This will be a major event for the Wotton Heritage Centre, and we are looking for local support as we plan to include many contributors and visitors from afar.
Writer Sophie Gaudier-Brzeska was a resident in Wotton-under-Edge from 1916-1922 and this event is a celebration of her life.
More details will follow.

01/01/2025

One for the diary.......note the change of venue for 2025.

19/12/2024

15/12/2024

The Wotton Heritage Centre is open on Mon/Tue/Fri from 10.30 to 15.30 for Christmas Gifts and Calendars....we have stocking fillers too and a £1 Lucky Dip for the little ones.
We close at the end of Friday and re-open on Monday January 6th 2025.
Friday evening, we have a Christmas Magic Lantern Show at 19.30 in the Civic Centre as part of our Winter season of talks.

12/12/2024

A Lucky Dip for our young people on Saturday 14th December at £1.00 a pop! Little toys for our little friends in the run-up to Christmas. Do call into the Heritage Centre from 10.30 until 15.30

09/12/2024

Sorry to hear this news and our thoughts are with Sir David's family. He will be missed by very many people in Wotton-under-Edge.

𝗦𝗶𝗿 𝗗𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗱 𝗠𝗰𝗠𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝟭𝟵𝟰𝟬-𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰

It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of our co-founder, Sir David McMurtry.

Sir David’s contributions to the field of engineering, science and manufacturing worldwide have been extraordinary. He was a truly inspirational leader and mentor, and will be greatly, greatly missed.

Our thoughts are with Sir David’s family, friends and loved ones.

05/12/2024

01/12/2024

One for the diary.......join us for a Mince Pie and a cuppa on the 20th December for a Magic Lantern Show.

24/11/2024

Sunday 24th November 2024, 108 years after his death Pte Arthur Fowler’s final resting place was formally recognised, on the anniversary of his passing, and marked with a headstone acknowledging his military service.
The unveiling of the headstone, paid for by donations from the local and wider community took place today at St James Church in Churchend above Charfield.

(Edited) Information about Arthur from researcher and leader of the campaign for his recognition - Jenny Naylor:

Born April 1896 to Thomas and Emily Fowler (nee Workman), in Charfield he was their youngest son. He had four siblings, George, Albert, Mabel and Leah and a stepsister, Ellen Workman
1901 Census shows the family living in at No 32 The Station in Charfield, this was probably located behind what is now the Railway Tavern car park. Thomas his father is given as Plasterer, and his older sisters Mabel and Leah are show as being silk and cotton winders in the nearby mills. By this time, his oldest stepsister Ellen had married an Alfred Calas and was living in London.
Sadly, in Oct 1901 his father Thomas died, and he is buried in St James's Churchend, but we do not know the location of the grave.
His sister Leah also died in Feb 1908 at the age of twenty-four, again buried in St James's, no know grave.
By the 1911 census it is suspected Emily, Mable, Albert, and Arthur are in the same house, a four-room dwelling that would have been behind the Railway Tavern, and all the siblings were working as millhands in the local elastic factory, no doubt Tubbs Lewis & Co at New Mill.
His brother George may well have already signed up for military service around 1905. It is difficult as there was a few George Fowlers in the area at the time.
On Tuesday the 4th of August, Britain declared war on Germany.
3rd September Arthur went and enlisted at Wotton under Edge, his papers signed by Stanley W Tubbs, the owner of the Mill where Arthur worked. Pte Arthur Thomas Fowler, army number 18677, joined the 10th Battalion the Worcester Regiment. At this time the county regiments were already up to strength, so it was normal for men to be assigned to regiment further afield.

On the 7th of January 1916, whilst in these trenches at Neuve Chappell, Arthur was wounded by a gunshot wound to the left side.

He was admitted to the Field Ambulance station and on 16th Jan admitted to the Casualty Clearing Station at Calais. On 19th Jan he is returned to England on the Hospital Ship, Stad Antwerpen. He had served for three years.

On 24 Nov 1916, he died of continuing medical complications developed in France at Bristol General Hospital. A little over a month from his army discharge.

24/11/2024

A flavour of the Charities Fair at the Wotton-under-Edge Civic Centre yesterday.

24/11/2024

A reminder for our next Monthly talk on Friday 29th November.🙂

24/11/2024

Christmas under the Edge coming soon. Saturday 7th December 4pm until 8pm

20/11/2024

2025 Calendar is on sale now featuring beautiful pictures of Wotton-under-Edge. Available in the shops listed on the poster.

11/11/2024

Rememberance day in Wotton-under-Edge on Sunday 10th November 2024. Part 2 of 2 - The commemoration at the War Memorial. More pictures on the Stroud Times website https://stroudtimes.com/pictures-hundreds-join-remembrance-day-ceremony/