One Chippenham

Lady Chatterley’s Cover: The Book Designs of Stephen Russ
2026-04-27 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-04-28 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-04-29 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-04-30 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-05-01 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-05-02 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-05-04 10:00 - 16:00, 2026-05-05 10:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London) and 14 more dates | Chippenham Museum, 9-10 Market Pl, Chippenham, SN15 3HF, United Kingdom
The post-war book designs of artist and teacher, Stephen Russ, are coming to life at Chippenham Museum.
From the forties to the seventies, Russ produced dozens of dust jackets, from striking first editions of Graham Greene at Bodley Head to a wide range of titles at Collins, including nature books and the famous Collins Crime Club.
He is perhaps best known for his work with Penguin, designing covers for the main orange series, the lesser-known music scores, and the highly collectible Penguin Poets series. His phoenix motif for DH Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover became famous during the 1960 obscenity trial and featured in the marketing that helped make the book a bestseller.
The exhibition also celebrates Russ’s thirty-year career as a tutor at the renowned Bath Academy of Art in Corsham, brought together with the generous support of the Russ family and loans from the Penguin Archive and the University of Bristol.

Heritage Cafe: F.W. Jones - The Funerals of Chippenham's History
2026-05-01 14:00 - 15:30 | Chippenham Museum, 9-10 Market Pl, Chippenham, SN15 3HF, United Kingdom
This month a representative from F.W. Jones will give a talk on The Funerals of Chippenham’s History. Frederick William Jones began the business as both a funeral director and cabinetmaker in 1930. Since then, the business has progressed through two successive Jones generations, serving the community of Chippenham throughout those years. The F.W. Jones team of today will present how the business evolved from 1930 to now, highlighting some very important and unique funerals along the way. We hope you can join us in the museum’s Education Room.
Non-members who attend are invited to donate £2 to Friends of Chippenham Museum; annual membership is £5 per person, renewed each July. If you are interested in joining, please visit the website to download a membership form or pop into the museum on your next visit.
Friends of Chippenham Museum supports the museum by fundraising, promoting activities and organising an enjoyable social programme for members. Being a Friend gives you the opportunity to receive newsletters with special interest articles and news from the Museum, attend monthly coffee afternoons called Heritage Café for socialising and special interest talks, and take part in special activities such as local trips, parties, events, etc.
The Friends of the Museum group was launched in June 2012 with the help of a small, dedicated band of volunteers, celebrating with a special event in the town’s Yelde Hall, the home of the original museum.
Our main aim at the time was to build a bridge between the museum and the public, increasing local engagement and making the institution more approachable.
Today, that relationship has worked exceptionally well. Our Friends act as vital ambassadors, providing specialized local knowledge and expertise. This small, enthusiastic group of supporters has grown to nearly 100 members.

Wartime Britain
2026-05-09 10:00 - 16:30, 2026-05-10 10:00 - 16:30 | REME Museum, Calne Road, MOD Lyneham, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 4XX, United Kingdom
Mark your calendar for the REME Museum’s annual re-enactment and living history event Wartime Britain on 9 – 10 May 2026!
This weekend always promises to be an amazing day out exploring the equipment, military life and home front culture experienced by many during World War II. Every year the event gets bigger and better, with more re-enactment groups and exciting performances.
Visit this Victory-worthy 1940s event featuring:

1940s costume and decoration
Re-enactors and living history groups telling the stories of those who lived, served and fought in WW2
WW2-era vehicles from the museum’s Reserve Vehicle Collection, private collectors and enthusiasts around the country
‘Live’ demonstrations of WW2 equipment, including firearms, munitions and more (subject to groups attending and availability of equipment)
Wartime musical performances from Jayne Darling
1940s dance performances and opportunities to join in with White Horse Swing

Refreshments will be available to purchase from Crown’s Café, which will only be open to visitors with a ticket to the event.
Free parking will be available in the museum’s large car park, visitors are asked to please reserve a parking space if you need one in advance. Blue Badge spaces are available on a first-come-first-served basis and you must have reserved a parking space online. If you can, please consider travelling by alternative means.
Dogs are welcome on the museum grounds but are not allowed inside the building, with the exception of assistance dogs.
Please be aware that during the Wartime Britain event, there may be loud noises from ‘live’-firing of firearms which could scare dogs visiting. Check the schedule and event map on the day to make preparations for these times.

Yelde Hall Summer Opening
2026-05-09 10:30 - 13:30 | The Yelde Hall
Want to discover more about Chippenham’s history? Visit the Yelde Hall on select dates from May to September, where you can meet characters from the town’s past in the council chamber and pirates from 1709 in the lock-up!
The Yelde Hall is free to enter and will be open from 10.30am to 1.30pm.
Opening dates:
Saturday 9 May
Saturday 11 July
Saturday 8 August
Saturday 22 August
Saturday 12 September

Town Walk
2026-05-09 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-05-14 19:00 - 20:00, 2026-05-21 19:00 - 20:00 | Chippenham Museum, 9-10 Market Pl, Chippenham, SN15 3HF, United Kingdom
Our free guided walks are back for 2026!
Join a member of the Chippenham Museum team on select Thursdays and Saturdays from May to September for a 40-minute journey through the town’s history, from King Alfred and the Saxons to the present day.
Perfect for residents, visitors and groups! Meet at The Buttercross, Market Place. Arrive 5 to 10 minutes before to allow for a prompt start. Spaces are limited so booking is essential via Eventbrite.
Saturdays at 2pm:
9 May, 13 June, 11 July, 8 August, 22 August & 12 September
Thursdays at 7pm:
14 May, 18 June, 16 July, 13 August & 17 September

Collection Conversations: Alma Boyes & Helen Harris
2026-05-09 14:00 - 15:30 | Chippenham Museum, 9-10 Market Pl, Chippenham, SN15 3HF, United Kingdom
In May’s installment of the museum’s free art talk series, they will be joined Alma Boyes and Helen Harris.
Alma Boyes studied ceramics and sculpture at the Bath Academy of Art, Corsham, and a Masters in Ceramic Design at North Staffordshire Polytechnic. Boyes worked as a sculptor and enlarger at the Morris Singer Foundry, working on sculptures for prominent artists such as Eduardo Paolozzi, as well as making her own work in bronze. Her work both in ceramics and bronze has been heavily influenced by her early days exploring ceramic techniques at the Bath Academy of Art.
Helen Harris studied visual communication at the Bath Academy of Art, Corsham, becoming a Fellow in Photography in 1981-2. She taught photography at Corsham and Central Saint Martins, continuing to teach at Bath Spa University until 2020. Her photographic practice explores the experience of time and place, with a particular focus on the weaving of cultural and natural histories within the landscape of the South West of England. Walking and collecting are an integral part of her process. In these encounters she is drawn to the poetry of the local and commonplace and its capacity to speak of other times and worlds.
Free, booking essential.
Image captions:
Left Image: Lone Magpie, undated, Alma Boyes, agateware in porcelain
Right Image: Corsham Court, Wiltshire, February 1982, 1982, Helen Harris, photographic print
