An exciting new series of discovery sessions involving lively discussions, artefacts, archives, specimens and illuminating information about Warwickshire’s past starts at Warwickshire County Record Office next month.

Held in the spacious searchroom at the record office, these regular sessions, entitled How Do We Know…? will focus on different topics across the Warwickshire Museum collections, including archaeology, geology, social history and archives.

The first session ‘How Do We Know Where all the Archaeological Sites are in Warwickshire?’ takes place on Saturday 25 February at 2pm. In this session Ben Wallace, the Historic Environment Record Manager from Warwickshire County Council, invites people to come and find out about the Warwickshire Historic Environment Record.

The record has information about all types of archaeological sites and monuments in the county covering all periods of the past from prehistoric through to modern. Who knows what workshop attendees will be able to find in their local area.

‘How Do We Know About Warwickshire’s Geological Past?’ is for those keen to know more about Warwickshire’s ancient landscape. On Saturday 24 March at 2pm, attendees are invited to learn all about how the rocks and fossils in the field and in the museum collections act as evidence for Warwickshire’s changing environments, climates and ecology through time. Jon Radley, Curator of Natural Sciences at Warwickshire Museum will lead the informative session.

Finally for this season, those interested in researching their family tree are invited to attend ‘How Do We Know About Our Family History?’ on Saturday 21 April at 2pm. This practical session for ‘absolute beginners’ will provide lots of opportunity to use the local and national sources available at the County Record Office, including parish registers, census records and online sites.

Rowan Fisher, Learning and Community Engagement Officer for Warwickshire County Council, said: “This exciting new series is a great opportunity for those keen to learn more about your areas of interest or discover something altogether new with experts and specialists from the relevant fields.”

All sessions take place at Warwickshire County Record Office, Priory Park, off Cape Road, Warwick, CV34 4JS and cost £6.00 (concessions £5).. Sessions can be booked on an individual basis.  Please call 01926 738959 to book your place.

Future topics for the summer will include sessions on aspects of the museum’s costume collection and local history archives.