THE Bratton History Association is excited to be opening its doors again in September for a new programme of local history talks and other events.
Based in the picturesque village of Bratton, the BHA has been attracting people interested in the area’s history since 2010. Like other local societies, it was forced to suspend its meetings during lockdown. Now, however, it’s preparing to welcome back members and visitors.
Its first event, on Sunday 19 September, is a talk about the award-winning Bratton Silver Band. Talks later in the year include new research on the history of Devizes Castle.
The group holds meetings on the third Sunday of the month, with a break in December and over the summer period. Topics of past talks have ranged from Bratton bell ringing and local murders to the Frome Hoard and Wiltshire ale houses. Some of its most popular talks explore the village’s rich heritage, such as those featuring Reeves Iron Works, once a central focus of the village, and Bratton’s timeless Community Orchard, still lovingly cared for today.
Over the years the group’s speakers have included archaeologists, church historians, architectural historians, family history specialists, and museum professionals.
“We try to cover as many different aspects of history as we can,” explained the group’s chairman, Anne Bailey. “Our varied programme means that there should be something of interest for everyone.”
One meeting particularly stands out in Anne’s memory. “The speaker came to talk about the Battle of Roundway Down, a Civil War clash near Devizes in 1643,” she recalled. “He demonstrated the military tactics by dividing his audience into Royalists and Roundheads. Before we knew it, we were re-enacting the battle with a few improvised props! It was great entertainment and a fantastic way of learning about an important episode in Wiltshire history.”
Light-hearted quizzes and the occasional opportunity to dress in period costume also feature in the group’s activities. “People sometimes assume that history is very serious, but we also have a lot of fun,” said Anne. “There was the unforgettable time we donned World War II outfits for the village fete and devised a ‘human fruit machine’ game with some predictably comic results. Another fete saw some of us dressed – perhaps not entirely convincingly! – as medieval wenches.”
Despite the disruption to meetings during the pandemic, the Bratton History Association has continued to be busy behind the scenes. As well as producing its annual calendar – in 2021 featuring some of the village’s iconic houses – its members have been at work uncovering and archiving the village’s past. The initial fruits of this research can be found on the Association’s website as well as in a series of booklets, Bratton Between Chalk and Cheese, which traces the village’s story from pre-history to the early 20th century.
With the lifting of the pandemic restrictions, the BHA is beginning to return to some of its other popular activities such as its guided village walks and church tours. At the end of June, for instance, classes at Bratton Primary School enjoyed a series of history talks and walks around the village led by the group’s archive project coordinator, Mike Manson. Members are also preparing to resume their oral history project which aims to record the village’s story from the First World War to the present day. They are keen to hear from anyone who has lived, or who has had family who have lived, in Bratton in the 20th century, or from anyone wishing to help with the project.
Anne, an Oxford historian living in Bratton, is keen to show that history can be enjoyed by everyone. “Local history is part and parcel of who we are and where we live,” she says. “Our meetings are open to anyone curious about the history of the local area and we’re always delighted to see new faces.”
More about the Bratton History Association, including details of its meetings, can be found on its website http://www.brattonhistory.co.uk. The BHA is also active on Twitter @BrattonHistory.
General enquiries should be made to Anne at chairman@brattonhistory.co.uk or to Mo Maclean on 01380 830221, while enquiries about the BHA’s history projects and publications should be directed to Mike Manson at archive@brattonhistory.co.uk.
Mike, the archive project coordinator, also organises guided tours of the village to groups on request, and is happy to give talks about Bratton’s history to local societies, schools and other organisations.
