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Langport Heritage

Trustees’ reports & plans

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Our latest strategic plan: 2025-2026

1. Our object/aim

The object of the Langport & District History Society is to advance education for the public benefit into the history of Langport and the surrounding areas.

2. How we achieve our aim

We achieve our aim by:

a. Working with partners, such as the Battlefields Trust, Langport Library, community groups and other local history societies

b. Undertaking activities that highlight, illustrate or promote the history of the area

c. Researching and collecting information and material of local historical interest

d. Exhibiting and publishing information and material of local interest

3. What we do to achieve our aim

a. We organise a programme of talks given by visiting speakers

b. We arrange visits to sites or attractions of local historical interest

c. We create displays and exhibitions

d. We publish printed leaflets, pamphlets and books

e. We maintain our own website and use social media

4. Our plans for the coming year (2025 – 26)

  1. Arrange an exhibition including Walter Bagehot’s briefcase at Hurds Hill
  2. Commemorate the bicentenary of Walter Bagehot’s birth in February 2026
  3. Install a replacement Bagehot interpretation board in the Walter Bagehot Town Garden
  4. Publish a new Bagehot leaflet including maps of all three interpretation boards

Trustees' Report to Members 2024-25

Membership

At the end of August 2025 we had 58 members (in 2024 we had 60, in 2023 we had 62). 

Strategic plan 2024-25

At our AGM on 2 October 2024, members approved a strategic plan for 2024-25.  Progress towards the objectives during the year was as follows:

  1. Install an information board about Bagehot at Great Bow Wharf (in production; installation expected before the end of the year)
  2. Arrange an exhibition including Walter Bagehot’s briefcase at Hurds Hill (postponed until 2026)
  3. Respond to the call to nominate assets to the Local Heritage List (achieved)
  4. Arrange for the transcription of Eliza Bagehot’s diaries (not achieved)

Future Bagehot Action

The digitised copies of the Collected works of Walter Bagehot were made available on our website.

 

We invited expressions of interest in transcribing Eliza Bagehot’s diaries, but the responses we received showed that the cost would be prohibitive.  Reluctantly, therefore, we have shelved that project until perhaps AI makes it possible to decipher handwriting more cheaply.

Afternoon meetings

We held three afternoon meetings in January, February and March 2025.  A total of  112 people attended the afternoon meetings, including 18 visitors.  The average number attending evening meetings was 30 and the average attending afternoon meetings was 37.

Visits

We have discussed the possibility of joint coach trips with the South Petherton History Group and with the Somerton History Group, and may take them forward with the latter.

Publications

We reprinted the Graham Edwards pamphlet on the Battle of Langport in time for the battle anniversary on 10 July.  It’s now available to purchase for £5.

During this period 8 e-newsletters were sent to members to keep them up to date with meetings and local history developments.  Level Talk was published in March 2025, thanks to Rob Cherry and Sandy.

Other activities

The Christmas Social was again held at the Drayton Crown, and was a very enjoyable occasion.

The Somerton History Group are keen to co-operate with us on a number of fronts.  In addition to exploring the possibility of joint coach trips, we have agreed that each other’s members can attend talks for half of the normal visitors’ cost.  To that end we will circulate each other’s newsletters to our members, so that we will all know what is available.

We had a stall at Muchelney’s Medieval Day on 26 July, and sold publications to the value of £35.  As the stall was free, it was a useful occasion and may lead to more co-operation with English Heritage.

In the financial year 2024-25 two quizzes made a total net profit of £726.

Our projector finally decided to retire, and we have purchased a new one.

Thanks

I am, as always, very grateful to the Officers and Committee (Trustees) of the Society for all their efforts and support, and to you, our members, for your interest and understanding. 

Feedback

Feedback of any kind from members, or indeed anyone else, is very welcome. 

 

 

Janet Seaton, Chair.                                                                                                       September 2025