The former district of West Wiltshire has received less HLF funding than many other parts of the South West, and we are keen to help more groups with projects that will enable everyone to understand and appreciate the fascinating heritage of the area.
To achieve this we are currently working with Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, Trowbridge Museum and Wiltshire Council to encourage more applications. from local organisations.
The West Wiltshire District includes the five main towns of Bradford on Avon, Melksham, Trowbridge, Warminster and Westbury. Archaeological finds including the remains of a large villa and a mosaic show that Bradford on Avon has been occupied since the Roman period, while Westbury’s famous White Horse is said to have first been cut into the chalk to celebrate Alfred the Great’s victory over the Danes in the 9th century.
During the Regency period a group of prosperous businessmen in Melksham built a pump room, baths and lodging houses in an attempt to rival nearby Bath. Around the same time, Sir Isaac Pitman was born in Trowbridge; he went on to invent a widely used shorthand system and is commemorated in several memorial plaques in the town.
Whichever aspect of West Wiltshire’s heritage you choose to explore, we want to help you to develop your project. To find out more about the assistance we can offer call us on 01392 223 950 or email
SouthWest@hlf.org.uk.