Five young people and one adult wearing blue high-vis vests excavate a small square archaeological trench using trowels.

North Wiltshire YAC

North Wiltshire YAC is open to everyone aged 8–16 years. YAC clubs get involved in all sorts of activities, including visiting and investigating archaeological sites and historic places, trying out traditional crafts, taking part in excavations, and much more.

North Wiltshire YAC is based in Swindon and usually meets once a month. A team of volunteers, all fully Enhanced DBS checked, runs the club: if you want to know more about how we recruit YAC volunteers and make sure children at YAC clubs are well looked after, check out our FAQs.

If you would like to get involved with North Wiltshire YAC, please get in touch with the team using the details below:

Contact: Katy Whitaker

Tel: 07769 712799

Email: yacnorthwiltshire@gmail.com

What’s on at YAC North Wiltshire

Planned activities are advised to members in August/September for the following 12 months, with monthly reminders sent by email newsletter prior to each meeting. We endeavor to hold a mix of outdoor activities, whilst securing indoor meeting places in the event of bad weather. There is a limit on the number of places available at each meeting.

Activities for 2025/2026:

Our first activity for this year will be at our HQ, working on our Coleshill Pet Cemetery project.

Future Activities

Future meeting topics include:

Reseaching and recording war memorials

Pottery in archaeology

Maritime archaeology

Visits to Avebury and to Stonehenge

What have we been doing?

Test Pitting at Kelmscott Manor

An amazing day on site with our friends at Cotswold Archaeology participating in the excavation of test pits, and finds’ washing to help discover the rich history of this Manor House in a small Gloucestershire village.

Landscape and Earthwork Surveying at Avebury Manor Parkland

Thanks to the permission granted by the National Trust Team at Avebury World Heritage Site we were able to enjoy a very successful meeting to survey and record part of the earthworks and designed landscape at this world-renowned site.

Headstone and Tomb Recording at St Mary’s Church, Lydiard Tregoze

In conjunction with the Conservation Project for this fascinating Church on the Lydiard Park Estate, our group was able to learn how to record Victorian Headstones and Tombs and plan their locations within the Churchyard for the benefit of researchers and future generations.

Four young people and one adult wearing blue high-vis vests crouch in front of a professional camera on a tripod on the grass.
Setting up a camera at Lydiard
In a church cemetery two young people wearing blue high-vis vests hold a red and white pole over an old tomb stone to measure it.
Recording graves at Lydiard
In a church cemetery four young people and one adult wearing blue high-vis vests and holding clipboards stand or crouch in front of old grave stones.
Recording graves at Lydiard
Seven young people wearing blue high-vis vests and holding red and white poles standing in a field on a sunny day in front of a prehistoric arch structure comprising of three huge stones.
A survey team at Devil’s Den
A small plastic candle is held up to the a large sheet of paper with black and brown hand prints and other drawings, such as a cat face.
Making and exploring cave art