The Wallingford Historical & Archaeological Society - TWHAS

28/02/2025

Tomorrow is the day when the doors of the museum open for this year……

New website - click on this link. Wallingford Museum UK is a colourful, delightfully intimate and family friendly local history museum, housed on two floors of an medieval oak-beamed building in the heart of Wallingford in Oxfordshire.

11/02/2025

From exploring the Ice Age with Steve Backshall on Channel 5 last night to exploring museum stores...

Museums are such amazing places bursting with information from across time. I always enjoy getting up close to prehistoric collections, there is always something new to see or discover!

It is also incredibly rewarding to work with museums to help improve the way they use their collections or expand on the existing information they have. As a craftsperson who makes modern versions of the ancient artefacts, I can recognise particular features that can tell stories about making processes, use, damage and destruction. Its almost impossible to accurately interpret these features without a practical background, some are very subtle.

Modern crafts people are so well placed to expand on these artefact stories and make them more relatable to visitors or colleagues. A bronze axe can feel cold and sterile without knowing the skill behind making or using them, or the emotions of the bronze smith who successfully cast.

Here I was at Shropshire Archives working with volunteers to explore their collection. The axe in my hands has a well over 90% chance of being made of Great Orme Mines copper. As a specialist I can recognise the axe type and the connection to this world famous site, thereby building a picture of how the Bronze Age world was connected in Shropshire over 3000 years ago.

📷 Prehistoric Jewellery

11/02/2025

‘Barley to Beer, the Story of Malting, Brewing and Pubs in Wallingford’ The countryside around Wallingford has always been suitable for the growing of barley and since early times the barley has been malted and used for the brewing of beer. The production of malt has been a major trade in the to...

10/02/2025

📜 TWHAS Membership – Renew or Join Today! 📜

Annual subscriptions for TWHAS are due from 1st March, and current rates are being held. If you’d like to renew or become a member, please comment below or message us directly for a membership form.

Being a member helps support our events, talks, and historical research – plus, you’ll be the first to hear about our activities!

Upcoming Dates:
📅 12 Feb: The Shape of the Medieval World – Prof. Anthony Bale
📅 1 Mar: Wallingford Museum opens for the 2025 season
📅 12 Mar: Barley to Beer – The Story of Pubs in Wallingford – Steve Capel-Davies
📅 19 Mar: If Ancestors Could Talk – Malin Holst (Zoom only)

We’d love to have you as part of our community – get in touch for a membership form!

10/02/2025

📜 February TWHAS Talk – Medieval Travel & Geography 📜

Join us on Wednesday, 12th February, for a fascinating talk by Professor Anthony Bale on The Shape of the Medieval World, According to John Mandeville. Discover how medieval travellers understood the world and what this tells us about history!

📍 8:00 PM | St Mary’s Church, Wallingford
💷 £5 entry (cash only)
📖 Books available for signing

See the image for full details

04/01/2025

🎉 Happy New Year from TWHAS Society! 🎉

📜 Start 2025 with an insightful evening of history!

🔍 Women of the Anarchy
🗓 Wednesday, 8 January 2025
⏰ 8:00 PM
📍 St Mary-le-More Church, Wallingford Market Place

We’re excited to kick off the new year with a fascinating talk by celebrated author Sharon Bennett Connolly. Discover the incredible stories of the women who shaped English history during the 12th century’s turbulent period, The Anarchy. Learn about Empress Matilda’s dramatic escape to Wallingford and her vital role in history, as well as Queen Matilda of Boulogne’s story.

💡 Visitors welcome! £5 per person (cash only, please).

📹 Zoom access is available exclusively for members.

We wish all our members a very Happy New Year and look forward to seeing you at our first event of 2025!

23/12/2024

🎄 Merry Christmas from TWHAS (The Wallingford Historical and Archaeological Society)!

As we reflect on the history of our town, we’d like to thank all our members and supporters for another wonderful year of discovery, learning, and community. Your enthusiasm and passion keep Wallingford’s rich heritage alive!

Wishing you a festive season filled with joy, and we look forward to uncovering even more of our shared history together in the New Year.

Season’s greetings,
The TWHAS Team

30/08/2024

Dear TWHAS Member,

We hope you have had an enjoyable summer!

This September edition of TWHAS Now is being sent a little earlier than usual so that you won’t miss details of the special talks and exhibitions on offer over the Agatha Christie Weekend that pre-dates our September TWHAS meeting, so I hope you will be able to find time to read it soon!

With all good wishes for an enjoyable September,

Judy

Judy Dewey, Editor, TWHAS Now

30/08/2024

One of the largest free festivals in the UK, BunkFest is a free-access community festival providing a unique, family friendly celebration with something for everyone. Following last year's popularity, we are running trains on all 3 days, with trains starting at 2pm on Friday. Walk up tickets are ava...

05/08/2024

Just down the road……

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/VCoSHNENXSK4heHs/?mibextid=WC7FNe

A remarkable Roman villa has been uncovered at a housing development near Wantage. While working on the site at Brookside Meadows in Grove, archaeologists discovered large quantities of pottery, Roman coins, and painted plaster. The team also found a rare aisled building, thought to have been built later than the villa. They are only halfway through the excavation and still exploring the aisled building’s function. The excavation revealed increasingly rich finds closer to the main villa, including painted plaster with blue pigment from Afghanistan, indicating extensive trade networks within the Roman Empire. Once the excavation is complete, the site will be built over with new houses. [Image credit: ITV Meridian]

27/07/2024

Local history tour…….

24/07/2024

Amazing

20/07/2024

Family archaeology day is in full swing please come along if you’re in the area…..

16/07/2024

Some great events on around the country and some locally

Find events and activities to celebrate the UK's annual Festival of Archaeology from 13 to 28 July 2024.

26/05/2024

This looks an interesting place to visit.

04/05/2024

TWHAS team made the news paper…..
Wallingford Museum

Archaeologists have descended on a site in Oxfordshire as part of the planning process for a playground build.

23/04/2024

The TWHAS team are out supporting the Bull Croft Archeological dig, come along to the Bull Croft tomorrow 10-2 to find out more.