Wootton Bassett Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wootton Bassett Museum |
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The old Town Hall, now the Wootton Bassett Museum
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| Location | Royal Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, England |
| Built | 1690 |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Designated | 17 January 1955 |
| Reference no. | 1363658 |
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The Wootton Bassett Museum is a cool local museum in the town of Royal Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire, England. It's located inside the old town hall, which is a special historic building called a Grade II listed building. This means it's protected because it's important and old!
Contents
How the Museum Building Started
The building where the museum is today was built way back in 1690. It was a gift to the town from a person named Laurence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester. He used to be a Member of Parliament for Wootton Bassett. A Member of Parliament is like a representative who helps make laws for the country.
The building had an open space on the ground floor. This area was used for busy local markets where people sold butter and cheese! The top floor was used for town meetings and as a courtroom.
Under the stairs, there was a small room called a "blind house." This was a simple holding area. There was also a place to keep the town's old hand-worked fire engine.
Changes Over Time
Wootton Bassett used to be known as a "rotten borough." This meant it had very few voters but still got to elect Members of Parliament. This system was changed by a law called the Reform Act 1832. After this, Wootton Bassett lost its right to elect MPs.
Later, in 1883, the town council that met in the courtroom was also stopped. By the late 1800s, the town hall building was in bad shape. It almost got torn down!
Luckily, a kind socialite named Lady Meux and her husband helped save it. They paid for a big restoration in 1889. During this work, the "blind house" and the fire engine storage were removed. This made the ground floor completely open.
The Museum Opens
The town hall was used for meetings by the local council until 1972. After that, the building became empty. A local history enthusiast, Dr. Alan Stebbens, had a great idea. He suggested turning the empty town hall into a museum.
So, in 1972, the Wootton Bassett Museum was officially opened! It has been collecting and sharing the town's history ever since.
What You Can See at the Museum
The museum has lots of interesting things to explore. They have a huge collection of old photographs. These pictures show what life was like in Wootton Bassett in the 1800s and 1900s.
You can also see a very old ducking stool from 1686. There are also geological items, which are like cool rocks and fossils. The museum also has old stocks and a whipping post. These were used a long time ago for punishments.
One of the coolest exhibits is a detailed model of the old Wootton Bassett Junction railway station. It shows exactly how the station looked before it closed in 1965. It's like stepping back in time!
See also
