Historic England launches new digital hub with ‘hidden histories’ of RBWM

Historic England has launched a new digital hub this week featuring the ‘hidden histories’ of Windsor and Maidenhead.

The initiative coincides with this year's Local History Month and encourages people from across the South East to explore their area’s rich and layered history.

The new Local Heritage Hub launched publicly on Wednesday and contains nearly 400 locations, each with a dedicated digital page.

Historic England’s regional director for London and the South East, Tom Foxall, said: “The sheer amount of important local history and heritage in London and the South East can often be hidden by its incredible volume.

“I’m delighted that Local Heritage Hub will shine a light on communities and hidden histories, from diving into London’s 32 boroughs and the City of London through to the wonderful rural communities of the South East coast.

“Within every place, there is something really remarkable that has changed and influenced the region we see today. I look forward to seeing what local heritage gems grab people’s attention, and how the Local Heritage Hub continues to grow and develop.”

The Local Heritage Hub offers a wide range of content, from aerial photographs showing towns and villages through time to curated selections of listed buildings, videos, blogs, and podcasts.

Users can search any county, city, district, and major town across England to view a heritage page containing aerial images, archive material, and local stories.

The website includes some of the Royal Borough’s most historic sites from the National Heritage List for England.

The 19th-century cemetery lodge and chapel, Chapel Lodge, in All Saints Avenue and Brocket in Boyn Hill Avenue, a former detached house once used as a pupil referral unit, are among Maidenhead’s entries.

Windsor entries include a K6 telephone kiosk in Clarence Road, architect Thomas Edgington’s house on Frances Road, a tapestry factory and 12 workers’ cottages in Old Windsor.

Ditton Park in Datchet and Holy Trinity Church in Sunningdale are highlighted alongside the commonly known Local Heritage Hub entries such as the Royal Estate and Eton College.

The history of Bisham Abbey’s 13th-century monastic and manorial complex is delved into, along with numerous war memorials unveiled after the First World War in Cookham, Ascot, Littlewick Green and Datchet.

Historic England said this new platform reflects what people are looking for in their local areas, and the tool is designed to encourage them to see familiar places in unfamiliar ways.

The new service will continue to expand with new places, information, and sections added over time to make local heritage and histories more relevant to more people's everyday lives.

Historic England chief executive Duncan Wilson said: "Understanding and connecting with local heritage is an important part of building strong communities.

“With this new service, we hope people across England will be able to explore hidden histories, reconnect with their surroundings, and feel a sense of pride in their local area.

“I’d encourage everyone to explore the new Local Heritage Hub and see what they might discover about a place that means something to them.”

Visit https://historicengland.org.uk/local/ for more information.