From Lydiard to Mapledurham and the Tower of London | A tale of two families
In the peaceful countryside, facing each other across the River Thames, once lay two estates. On the north bank in...
A Lost Child Remembered – Elinor Lee 1635-1640
Trawling the Baptism Register for Lydiard Tregoze, local historian Frances Bevan recently discovered a surprising piece of...
Fred's Horses
"There was a meeting of two days at Newmarket this time of year, to see the sweetest little horse run that ever was; his...
Running Through History
Whether you are a dedicated park runner, or enjoy a regular dog walk or family cycle, you’ll be familiar with the open...
“Here is a good old mansion house…”
By the mid 19th century the Palladian mansion house at Lydiard Tregoze was a little the worse for wear. Generations of St...
The Forest of Braydon and Lydiard Park’s Veteran Trees
Map of Lydiard circa 1700 The great Forest of Braydon originally extended across North Wiltshire, covering much of the...
Why did the St.John family choose Bolingbroke?
When many people think of the name Henry Bolingbroke, the first character that comes to mind is John of Gaunt’s son Henry,...
Tracing the final resting place for Lydiard Park POWs
Looking at Lydiard Park's beautiful grounds and playing fields in 2023 it is hard to imagine they were once occupied by a...
The Elliot Woolford diaries - 1900
The turning of the year and the beginning of a new century appear to have made little impact on the establishment at Hook...
Satire and the St.John Family
The Lydiard Archives contain a number of satirical cartoons referring to members of the St John family. Satire uses humour,...