Royston and District Local History Society

Welcome

On these pages you will find details of the work and aims of the Society, together with information on the history of Royston, Hertfordshire and links to local history resources.

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60th Anniversary Celebration

The Society was delighted that so many invitees were there in The Old Bull to celebrate this milestone with them on 1st May.

Many of our esteemed members have been part of this journey from the very beginning, and some can trace their involvement to the inaugural meeting in January 1965. By September 1974, the original aim of the Society was realised, when Royston’s first museum opened in a small room in the back of the Town Hall. A better solution emerged in April 1984, when the Museum that we know and love, finally opened in what used to be the Congregational Church schoolroom, where it remains today.

Our thanks go to Pam and Mike Wright for putting together the photographic exhibition and to Emma Canterbury our Museum Director and Sophie Riches our Museum Curator for the Slide Show all being displayed in the Ballroom, on the same evening. Our thanks also go to Clive Porter for recording this event in these photographs.

The photographic exhibition will be on display at the first meeting of the new season at the Town Hall on Thursday, 2nd October 2025.

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Our Vice President and Archivist Shirley Thrussell cuts the cake.

Participation

The Society organises a number of public lectures each year and all members are entitled to attend these meetings. The venue for these is Royston Town Hall, Melbourn Street, Royston SG8 7DA.

The lectures are also open to the public, on payment of a small entrance fee, currently £3.00. Visitors may use the car park accessed via King James Way. 

In addition, the Society has an annual coach outing to a place of historic interest - the coach outing is open to members and non-members.

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The Crown public house which stood at the Cross until road widening lead its demolition.

About the Society

The Society is a non-profit making organisation whose objectives are to -

  • Safeguard, record and preserve the local history of Royston and the area for future generations.

  • Increase the level of interest and awareness of local history amongst the town’s residents.

  • Contribute to the growth of the Museum.

  • Maintain and preserve Royston Cave.  The Society has three trustees, with background knowledge, who sit on the RTC Cave committee.

  • Provide consultation on planning applications relating to the historic fabric of the town.

  • The Society has two trustees who sit on the Board of the Museum Trust.

  • The Society is the owner of much of the Museum Collection.