Welcome to MyThornbury's local history section. There's plenty to explore:
Thornbury & District Museum
The museum was started in 1986 to house a collection of artefacts bequeathed to The Thornbury Society, and rapidly expanded. It is an independent museum and financed by grants and donations.
Come and visit our exhibition rooms, chat to our volunteers, visit our shop, enjoy your local museum. Click here to visit the Museum's website.
Thornbury Local History and Archaeology Society
Thornbury's local history society meets monthly - details on the right, and have produced a series of articles based on these talks. Visit the Society's page for more information and to read the articles (articles are also listed below).
Local history groups
Lots of local history groups, covering a variety of subject areas.
Resources
Our local history resources page has links to many useful websites.
Local history books
Old maps
Explore MyThornbury's collection of old maps of Thornbury and the surrounding area. Includes a map browser that lets you switch between different age maps.
Old photos
We've teamed up with Francis Frith to offer reprints of old Thornbury and district photos.
We'd also like to recommend the fascinating Images of Thornbury site, with its large collection of old photos and now-and-then comparisons.
Clifton Suspension Bridge (Mar 2010)
The Purton Hulks (Feb 2010)
Thornbury High Street (Dec 2009)
Arnos Vale Cemetery (Nov 2009)
Basket Weaving (Oct 2009)
The Luftwaffe's Attacks (Sep 2009)
Redcliff Street, Bristol (Apr 2009)
Gloucestershire ballads (Mar 2009)
Farm buildings (Feb 2009)
Bristol Castle (Jan 2009)
Walls & boundaries (Dec 2008)
Dark Satanic Mills (Nov 2008)
Clarkson and the Slave Trade (Oct 2008)
What to wear at work (Sep 2008)
Thornbury Pubs (Mar 2008)
Rethinking Militancy (Feb 2008)
Down the Garden Path (Jan 2008)
The Slave Trade (Dec 2007)
Crinoline and Corsets (Nov 2007)
Love Thy Neighbour (Oct 2007)
Digging up the Glass Works (Mar 2007)
Death and disease on the SS Great Britain (Jan 2007)
How the forest was won (Oct 2006)
Clifton Rocks Railway
Gloucester and Sharpness Canal
In sickness and in health
Mr Lister - a gentleman employer
More
This site has an excellent database of monumental inscriptions from Thornbury Cemetery and St Mary's Church, complete with photographs, and has recently added the monumental inscriptions from the United Reformed Church as well as details of births, marriages and burials from the URC registers up to about 1900.
There's a searchable database of Thornbury Trade directories, with 24 directories included, covering the period 1790 to 1939. There are also various Voter Lists, Coroners Lists, Street Directories and a gallery of old Thornbury adverts from local businesses.
There are in-depth histories of the houses in many of the older streets of Thornbury and of the families who lived in them with an extensive collection of photographs.
Workday 4 – Oldwood
For more information, please click below.
www.sgmrg.co.uk/events
2pm, meet at Purton Lower Bridge
A programme of guided tours through the remains of the Purton Hulks, in the company of L. P. Barnett, Marine Historian and Winner of the Nautical Archaeological Societies: National Adopt A Wreck Award 2007 and Certificate of Merit 2008.
Tour fee £3.50 per person. Approx tour time 2 hours, weather permitting.
Slide show presentations also available upon request. For more information, phone Paul Barnett on 07833 143231 or email below:
www.mythornbury.co.uk/thornbury/l...
Email:
9th-12th September
Heritage Open Days celebrates England’s fantastic architecture and culture by offering free access to properties that are usually closed to the public or normally charge for admission. Every year on four days in September, buildings of every age, style and function throw open their doors, ranging from castles to factories, town halls to tithe barns, parish churches to Buddhist temples. It is a once-a-year chance to discover hidden architectural treasures and enjoy a wide range of tours, events and activities which bring to life local history and culture.
www.heritageopendays.org.uk
St Mary's Church Tower will be open, there will be guides around the Parish Church and a lunchtime organ recital.
10pm, The Chantry, Castle Street, Thornbury
The Thornbury and District Community Association invite you to a day of exciting events.
During the day, from 10 till 4, The Chantry is again taking part in a Heritage Open Day, when many of Thornbury’s historic buildings are open to the public for free. Come along and learn about the fascinating history of our building, parts of which date back to Tudor times. Trustee Chris Davis will be giving an illustrated talk on the building, and the Thornbury Museum will also have a display - or you can just look round the premises and the splendid garden at your own pace. If you’re not familiar with The Chantry, this is the chance to get to know a significant part of Thornbury’s heritage.
During the afternoon and early evening we will be holding a Wine Festival, which we hope will please both the connoisseur, and those who just like an occasional glass. This will lead, convivially, into our main event of the day, our Proms in the Chantry Garden. There will be a string quartet to entertain you, (from 7-30 for just over an hour) and, when the time comes, we will screen the final part of BBC’s Last Night of the Proms (on a large TV screen). Wear something red, white and blue and sing along to patriotic favourites such as Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory. There will be a small charge for the evening of £5 a head (£3 for children) for what should be an unforgettable night out.
www.thechantry.org.uk
10am-4pm, Town Hall, High Street, Thornbury
Plans to switch off some street lights in Thornbury between the hours of midnight and 5am only can be viewed on the ground floor.
The plans will be available to view whilst the Town Hall is open for Heritage Open Day.
Visit the Town Council page below for more information.
www.mythornbury.co.uk/thornbury_t...
Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th September, 12.30-5.30pm (Sat), 12-5.30pm (Sun), Edward Jenner Museum, Berkeley
Free entry to the museum plus attic tours and family trails.
www.jennermuseum.com
7.30pm, St Mary's Church Hall, Thornbury
Bristol and the Civil War: Dr Jonathan Harlow, UWE
Non-members – or indeed, new members – are always most welcome. A charge of £2.50 is made to non-members. Further information is available below or by e-mailing Jonathan Griffiths below.
www.mythornbury.co.uk/thornbury_s...
Email:
2pm, meet at Purton Lower Bridge
A programme of guided tours through the remains of the Purton Hulks, in the company of L. P. Barnett, Marine Historian and Winner of the Nautical Archaeological Societies: National Adopt A Wreck Award 2007 and Certificate of Merit 2008.
Tour fee £3.50 per person. Approx tour time 2 hours, weather permitting.
Slide show presentations also available upon request. For more information, phone Paul Barnett on 07833 143231 or email below:
www.mythornbury.co.uk/thornbury/l...
Email:
Evening, Berkeley Castle, Berkeley GL13 9BQ
Evening lecture by David Tandy on The Waterways of Berkeley.
www.berkeley-castle.com
Evening work - Serridge
For more information, please click below.
www.sgmrg.co.uk/events
Workday 6 - Serridge
For more information, please click below.
www.sgmrg.co.uk/events
