About Wiltshire Record Society

Founded in 1937

The Wiltshire Record Society was founded in 1937, originally as the Records Branch of the Wiltshire Archaeological & Natural History Sociey.

The formidable R.B. Pugh, who had strong Wiltshire connections and who was later to become the General Editor of the Victoria County History, was the chief mover behind the scheme, and edited the first volume of the new series, published in 1939. Pugh would edit another three volumes, and also served as the President of the Wiltshire Record Society, as it was renamed after it became a society in its own right in 1967, until his death in 1982.

His successor was the eminent historian Christopher Elrington, President for more than 25 years. The Society celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2012, by when 65 volumes had been published. It continues to produce a volume relevant to Wiltshire history each year, and these are issued to individual and instittional members and libraries, and available to purchase.

A wide range of records

The range of records included is very wide, including documents from every century from the thirteenth to the twentieth, across the whole of Wiltshire and many neighbouring places. Medieval volumes include tax lists, monastic cartularies, registers of diocesan officials, feet of fines, account rolls, administrative records, and cases in civil and criminal law. Editions concerned with more recent periods include letters and diaries, records of businesses, county, local and estate administration, nonconformity, church affairs, agrarian history, poor relief, apprenticing, coroners and motor vehicle licensing. Together the volumes in the series comprise an invaluable resource for the history of Wiltshire, as well as a fascinating kaleidoscope of Wiltshire life.

The series is uniform in format, and each volume is casebound in blue cloth. Volumes include scholarly introductions and detailed indexes, and many of the editors who have contributed to the series are leading authorities in their field. Since its inception the series has enjoyed widespread respect, and many volumes are regarded as important scholarly works of more than local significance. More than one hundred libraries and institutions worldwide currently subscribe to the series. For details of each volume in the series go to the Publications section of this website, where the full text of most is available for you to browse and download.

Membership of the Society

The Society holds a general meeting each year, with an address from a notable speaker followed by a discussion. This usually takes place at a house or building of historical interest, affording members an opportunity on occasions to visit places not always open to the public.

The annual subscription to the Society, for individuals is £15.00, and for institutions £20.00. Each member receives one copy of each volume issued for the year covered by the subscription. Members also have the right to attend and vote at general meetings. Members may purchase back volumes and extra copies of current volumes at a preferential rate. We encourage anyone with an interest in Wiltshire’s history to become a member, not only to receive our publications, but also to support our work in broadening the range of information available about our county’s past.

Download the Rules of the Society.

General Editors

1962-1972 Christopher Elrington

1972-1976 Douglas Crowley

1976-1978 D.C. Cox

1978-1981 Janet Stevenson

1982-1988 J.L. Kirby

1988-1995 Jane Freeman

1995-2007 John Chandler

2007-2014 Virginia Bainbridge (jointly with Steven Hobbs from 2013)

2013-2022 Steven Hobbs (jointly with Virginia Bainbridge, 2013-14)

from 2022 Tom Plant