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Nine years of achievement and continued expansion.
Chippenham Town Council created the Chippenham Museum & Heritage
Centre, which is housed in a fine 18th Century Grade II listed building.
The story of this historic Market Town is displayed from Neolithic
farmers and Roman settlements to King Alfred’s struggle to
keep the town from Viking invaders, through Brunel’s influence
with the railway, to Jo Buckle, a local  fishmonger
who was visited by Queen Mary. Using creative displays you will
have an audience with King Alfred who will tell you about life in
Saxon Chippenham. Lift the floorboards to discover what treasures
and artefacts reveal about peoples past lives. View inside the wall
of a house to reveal the custom of using mummified cats, frogs and
bats to ward off evil spirits.
The first floor galleries have a temporary exhibition room that
enables the display of the museum’s reserve collections. Further
galleries show the history of Maude Heath’s Causeway, Chippenham
at war, changeable displays of 19th and 20th century costume, civics
and treasures of the town. A further gallery is devoted to the industrial
heritage of the town with displays of brewing, clocks, butter churns,
railway engineering, buildings and the town flourmill.
The connecting corridors make good use of the large photographic
collection with displays of the origins and growth of the High Street
and Market Place.
The centre opened its doors to the public on the 23rd March 2000.
Community use of the museum has exceeded all expectations and since
opening visitor figures have exceeded 190,000. In addition,
the collections have increased through generous donations from the
public living in, or having had connections with Chippenham.
In December 2001 H.R.H the Duke of Edinburgh visited the museum,
on the same day it was announced that the museum was awarded a Heritage
Lottery Grant, with additional funding from Chippenham Town Council
and the Borough Lands Charity. This was used for the next phase
of development to enable the completion of the four first floor
galleries, a  dedicated
research room, three storage rooms and a fully equipped education
wing.
The museum provides an education service which has developed
and expanded the educational provision for schools, adults and leisure
groups. The education service to schools and community is wide ranging,
with lifelong learning in and out of the museum, including talks,
workshops, guided tours and activity days. This service is free
to civic area groups and carries minimal charges outside the area.
The fully fitted education lecture/school room is available for
hire, offering space for up to 35 people. The room contains audiovisual
equipment, a hearing loop and tea and coffee making facilities.
For further information on any of the above services please contact
the museum.
Since opening, the Museum & Heritage Centre has completed many
exciting projects with a wide range of local community groups. The
aim of the museum staff and Chippenham Town Council is to encourage
people to become closely involved with all aspects of future projects.
Under the mission statement the Museum & Heritage Centre aims
to provide a friendly, welcoming environment where people are encouraged
to ask questions, seek advice, make suggestions, bring objects of
interest and get involved in the heritage of Chippenham.
Chippenham Museum
& Heritage Centre
10 Market Place, Chippenham
Wiltshire SN15 3HF
Tel: 01249 705020 Fax: 01249 705025
Email: heritage@chippenham.gov.uk www.chippenham.gov.uk
Opening Times: Mon - Sat. 10am - 4pm. All Bank Holidays except Christmas.
Admission Free • Disabled Access
All pictures used in this guide are © Chippenham Town Council.
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