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Christmas is often a time when people think about family stories and the past, as it’s a time when many of us meet up with or speak to family. This can inspire us to research our family history beyond what is known, and to check out the family stories we’ve heard. This year many of...

From the 1870s British farming faced depression. Caused by a catastrophic fall in grain prices – a consequence of increasingly cheap imports, particularly from America – the British farming industry did not fully recover until after the Second World War. As arable land was laid down to pasture, dairy farming, buoyed by increasing demand in...

Time Team was a TV phenomenon, making a popular archaeology TV programme watched by 3 million viewers at its peak. Viewers picked up terms like “Geofizz” and learnt about some of the archaeological techniques. Archaeologists found themselves being quizzed by people, when out on jobs, who watched the TV programme and had had their interest...

Over the past two years Worcestershire’s Historic Environment Record has been working to identify, record and better understand the significance of 20th Century buildings and public places across the County. Many more await discovery and assessment! Funded by Historic England, this project has also aimed to strengthen the public’s awareness and appreciation of ‘everyday’ 20th...

UPDATE 26th March 2021 The Original Archives and Historic Environment Record Desk will reopen to visitors from April 13th.  As previously, bookings for original archives will be limited to one person per booking and one booking per week, made a week in advance. Visits to the HER need to be 24 hours in advance. For...

Last week we said goodbye to our long-term volunteer, Mary who has been assisting in Conservation for 8 years.  Her commitment has been most appreciated and she will be missed.  This blog is dedicated to Mary, to celebrate and recognise her hard work over the years. Rhonda (Conservator): As the sole Conservator for the Worcestershire...

Wood Norton Hall in Evesham has a history to rival that of a timelord regeneration. The site, established in medieval times, once the seat of French royalty, later home to the BBC, is now a Grade II listed home and now a luxury hotel with rooms inspired by its history. It was the last home...

Over the past two years Worcestershire’s Historic Environment Record has been working to identify, record and better understand the significance of 20th Century buildings and public places across the County. Many more await discovery and assessment! Funded by Historic England, this project has also aimed to strengthen the public’s awareness and appreciation of ‘everyday’ 20th...

The Archaeology Service work on through Introduction During these times of social distancing restrictions since late March 2020, what has happened to our Archaeology Services?  Are they still in the field?  What are they doing?  If they are working, what have we done to make sure they are safe? You can read how some of...

Happy Halloween from Explore the Past. We thought we would share with you a spooky document found in the archives. It is intriguingly described in the index as copies of statements of ‘supernatural’ happenings at Prior’s Court, Powick. So we took a closer look to learn more. Back in 1956, a local newspaper article featured...