The Historical Society of Royal Wootton Bassett

27/08/2026

Our twin town in France, Blain, has a wonderful museum in a building that, like ours, has pillars on the ground floor. This originally housed an open corn market. Its page, Musée de Blain , includes a collection of historical postcards depicting the life of the town over the last century. The Twinning Association is hoping to arrange a visit to Blain from Royal Wootton Bassett next year.

Batiment d'hier et aujourd'hui où le musée expose la plus grand collection de France de fèves des rois, salle d'archéologie, collection de rabots et reconstitution de boutique 1930. Ouvert toute l'année et gratuit.

27/08/2026

OUR NEXT MEETING on Thursday 10 September 10 is 'A History of the REME Corp' with Andrew Skelton, REME Education & Events Officer.
Formed in, and shaped by necessity, in 1942, the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers have served on the frontline of every major theatre of operations since then. They have grown to care for all of the Army's equipment: tanks, helicopters, vehicles, artillery and weapons systems, engineer plant, generators and more. Come and learn about their exciting history.
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​Meetings are held on the second Thursday of the month at St. Bartholomew's Primary Academy, The Rosary, SN4 8AZ and begin at 7.30pm. Doors are open at 7pm for refreshments.
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​Visitors are always welcome. £5 per meeting, under 18s free.
Annual membership is £25 per person or £45 for a joint membership.

26/05/2026

Next meeting: 7.30pm, Thursday 11th June 2026: 'The Superslab comes to Yogurt Town - The M4 builds west to Wiltshire'.
Speaker: Malcolm Holland, a talk about the origins, planning and construction of the M4 Motorway.
St Bartholomew's Primary Academy, The Rosary, SN4 8AZ. Doors open 7pm for refreshments.
Website: https://www.historical-society-RWB.org.uk
Visitors welcome: £5 per meeting, under 18s free. Annual membership £25 per person or £45 for a joint membership.

21/04/2026

Next meeting: 7.30pm, Thursday 14 May 2025, with a talk by Graham Carter and Michael Roberts on the life and death of Charles Collett, designer of the locomotives associated with Swindon's railway golden age, including the Castle and King class engines.
St Bartholomew's Primary Academy, The Rosary, SN4 8AZ. Doors open 7pm for refreshments.
Website: https://www.historical-society-RWB.org.uk
Visitors welcome: £5 per meeting, under 18s free. Annual membership £25 per person or £45 for a joint membership.

10/04/2026

Broad Town White Horse presentation - 5 May 2026