Welcome to the History Group Page
We’re a friendly and informal group of local folks and friends with an interest in all things historic, from the past life and times of Shapwick and the Polden villages, and beyond. We don’t have regular meetings, but get together as and when for local museum and heritage centre visits, and enjoy talks in village venues by guest speakers – professional historians and keen amateurs alike.
Past presentations have included an impressive variety of themes, including a history of cultural heritage conservation, a look at the workings of the UK Census (with a practical demonstration featuring Shapwick’s Old Vicarage), an introduction to ‘house whispering’, a Somerset archaeological odyssey, the origins of St Mary’s Church, the evolution of the Global Peace Movement, Bridgwater Radicals, local family dairy farms, sheep related industries and a guide’s guide to Gothic Cathedrals…to name a few!
Find out more about History Group events at www.facebook.com/groups/shapwickhistory or contact us at history@shapwick.org.
Memories of Shapwick
Over time we’ll endeavour to provide information about previous and upcoming activities on these pages. For now, we’re delighted to share ‘Memories of Shapwick’, a social history interview with Dora Watkins.
The interview was recorded in one sitting in April 2023, and is packed with details providing a fascinating picture of rural life in the 1930s and 40s. Born and bred in Shapwick, Dora’s knowledge was based on personal experience along with those of at least four preceding family generations who lived, worked and raised families in the village.
Many thanks to Dora, and interviewer Frank Barnard, for helping create such a wonderful record.
