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Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · 11d

Our Nearly New Craft Sale is just a month away!
Come along and grab a bargain!

Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · 11d

Terrace houses in Naldertown Wantage. We believe this photograph was taken sometime between 1960 and 1975.

These houses were built in around 1870 by the Nalder & Nalder Company as homes for their workers.
#WaybackWednesday

black and white photo of a terrace of brick houses

Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · 18d

The Stores and terrace houses on Ormond Road in 1967. This photograph was taken just prior to this whole terrace being demolished.

On The Stores we can see adverts for Brasso, Silvo, Players cigarettes and rimflo. Parked outside is a black Morris Minor 1000, 2-door saloon.
#WaybackWednesday

black and white photo of a row of terrace houses and a corner shop, with a black car parked outside.

Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · 25d

Ormond Road looking on to Charlton Road in the mid-1970s. Apart from larger trees and quite a few more cars, this part of the town has not changed all that much in the past 5 decades.
In the distance is Wantage Hospital.
#WaybackWednesday #Wantage #Oxfordshire #Berkshire

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Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · Sep 18

This year's Nearly New Craft Session is bigger & better than ever
We will have all the donated craft items for sale, we also have space for extra stalls for local crafts people
So, if you would like to hire a stall please get in touch by emailing Museum Manager - [email protected]

Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · Sep 17

The building on Mill Street was purpose built for the church in 1860 at a cost of £1,519, which today would be the equivalent of £160,636.41

Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · Sep 17

They then moved into a barn within the Baptist burial ground on Garston Lane in 1649. It was there they had their first Baptist minister Robert Keate who had moved from Reading. In 1771 the church took over a chapel in Back Street (now Church Street) and they later established a church in Grove

Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · Sep 17

Wantage Baptist Church has been part of Wantage for many centuries, with meetings taking place in 1650s, likely in people’s houses at this time and then making use of the Market House, or Town Hall which stood in the centre of the Market Place.

Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · Sep 17

Mill Street, Wantage c1870
Mill Street looking surprisingly similar to how it looks today, although there is no Tramway building here and the building in between the Baptist Church and the three-storey building at the top of the street, is very different.
#WaybackWednesday

a built-up street with a church in the middle of the row of terrace buildings

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Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · Sep 16

As the days turn cooler, we’ve added something extra comforting to the menu at the Museum Coffee Shop… homemade soup
Come and enjoy a bowl of our delicious soup, served with fresh rolls, a cheese scone, or choose from our range of freshly made sandwiches, baguettes, and rolls

#SupportLocal

Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · Sep 11

There are just 85 days until Father Christmas visits the Museum again & we can not wait!
Fri 5th Dec 4-8pm & Sat 6th Dec 2.30-4.30pm
£6 per child, each child will meet Father Christmas & receive a gift
Find out more information and book online by visiting www.ticketsource.co.uk/vale-downland-museum

Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · Sep 10

We think this photo was taken in the 1970s but it must have been in the earlier end of the decade, before the building work was started to convert the old Doctors Surgery into the Museum.

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Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · Sep 10

Cottages on the left side of the street are no longer there but can you remember when they were demolished? Now it is the rear car park for Douglas and Simmons.

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Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · Sep 10

Church Street, Wantage.
Taken from the front of what is now the Museum looking up Church Street. In the distance you can see the Woolpack pub on the right and the rear of the Bear Hotel and Victoria Cross Gallery on the left
#WaybackWednesday

the view of a street with buildings on either sides

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Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · Sep 9

It is the final week to see this wonderful exhibition from the members of Wantage Art Group
On display in our Squires Gallery - closes this Saturday, 13th September

Free admission but donations to the museum welcome

Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · Sep 9

Thank you for sharing Clare

Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · Sep 9

Find our current vacancies on our website
www.valeanddownlandmuseum.org.uk

Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · Sep 4

The site on Mill Street was given by local Vicar, Thomas Henry Archer Houblon who also covered a tenth of the cost of building. The rest of the build was funded by subscription. The final total was £400, which in today’s money would have been about £44,704!

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Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · Sep 4

The Jubilee Swimming Bath. Mill Street Wantage.
Photograph by Tom Reveley in the early 1900s
Opened on 1st June 1899 as a memorial of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee of 1897.

A sepia photo of an open-air swimming pool with many people in Victorian dress around the pool.

Vale & Downland Museum @valeanddownland.bsky.social · Aug 28

Thank you for your patience and support as we make the Museum brighter, greener, and more sustainable for the future.