ENTHUSIASTS in Wotton-under-Edge have been conserving the town's past for future generations.

The Wotton Historical Society recently unveiled several documents linked to the town's past that have been lovingly conserved so they can go on display in Wotton's Heritage Centre.

A copy of the deed by Lady Joan Berkeley, which established the borough of Wotton-under-Edge, dating back to 1253, has been mounted and framed.

The original copy was unfortunately lost but experts compiled this new document as an interpretation of what the deed might have said using other artefacts dating back to that time.

A copy has also been made of the town's Grant of Arms from 1974. It is an almost exact copy of the original, which is owned by Wotton Town Council.

Mary George, from Wotton Historical Society, said: "Over the last few years we have received several grants and donations and we have been able to conserve important milestones in the town's history.

"There is 700 years of history between the two items alone."

Using grants from businesses and organisations, the historical society has also had conservation work done on three photograph albums.

The albums containing photographs of Wotton between 1920 and 1945 were recently bought by the historical society at the Wotton Auction Rooms. The conservation work cost £100 per album.

John White, who has been involved in the conservation project, said: "This work makes the albums more accessible. People are now able to come into the centre and look at them and are identifying events and people in them."

However, the historical society is keen to get more old photographs of the town which might help illustrate its past.

John Cordwell, a member of the Wotton Historical Society, said: "A lot of these old photographs come up at auction quite often but it is very difficult for the society to bid for them.

"If anyone has any old photographs of Wotton I would ask that they think about giving them to the historical society.

"I think they would be of much more worth to the historical society and to Wotton than any other bidder."

Other conservation projects the Wotton Historical Society is working on include the flattening and mounting of old panoramic school photographs.