History enthusiasts in a Buckinghamshire village have created an online history collection fit for 21st century.
To make local history available for everyone, the Seer Green and Jordans Society has launched a live history book, which allows information to be updated to better reflect changes than a printed book would.
‘Our Living Village’ website, created in partnership with the Chiltern Society, features photos, research and maps, including a map of the area dating back to 1753, which is housed in the British Library.
READ MORE: Aylesbury high street building up for auction at staggering £410k
The collection is a “thrilling” way to bring together expertise and historical knowledge collected by residents, founder of the project Alan Kell OBE from Seer Green and Jordans Society said.
He said: “What often happens is villages will publish a book.
“Books are very beautiful, but they’re static, and they very rarely get updated or corrected. There’s limited availability.
“We thought why don’t we go a different 21st century route and put it all online, so that people can come in and add to it, correct it, learn from it, so to make it a dynamic history of the two villages rather than a static.
“We get people coming in from around the world saying ‘I used to live in the area’, or ‘my family used to live there and I’m doing family research’, so it has a global reach.”
Recent uploads include a map-based narrative of the origin of Seer Green and Jordans, research of the ancient Manor of Seer Green, and a picture collection of the pubs in the villages.
The past, and understanding local history, has direct consequences to this day.
Mr Kell said: “All the decisions we make about planning and so on are enriched if they’re put in the context of the history of the community, because if we don’t know what we’ve got we don’t know what we can lose.
READ MORE: In the Dock: Latest results from Wycombe Magistrates’ Court
“Therefore, it’s informing people about their community, its history and value.
“So, it’s identifying value within the community.”
In September, residents had a chance to explore Our Living Village first-hand during a walk around the two villages as part of the Chiltern Society’s Heritage Festival and launch of the website.
Patron of the Chiltern Society Earl Howe said: "May I just say, having worked my way through the Our Living Village website, that I think it is a triumph.”
The project has already engaged with local schools, and now Mr Kell is working on a report to help other villages to create their own living history collection.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here