About Us

Burton Latimer Heritage Society was formed in 2000 to promote an interest in the history of Burton Latimer and its people. Its formation was prompted by a gift of £2000 by Weetabix Ltd to Burton Latimer Town Council to refurbish a room in the council offices at ‘The Poplars’, High Street, for use as a small museum, later to be known as the Heritage Room.

It was felt that the museum would be best managed by a group of volunteers, rather than the Town Council, and a public meeting was called to gauge support. It was a successful meeting and the Burton Latimer Heritage Society was formed. In October that year the Heritage Room Museum opened with its first exhibition and continued to mount exhibitions, at first three times a year and subsequently twice a year.

The Society was granted charitable status in 2002 and has an executive committee of twelve trustees, including two representatives from Burton Latimer Town Council. The committee meets on the third Thursday of every month, with the AGM held in March. 

The present officers, elected in March 2026 are: Tony Dacre (Chair), Ian Watson (Treasurer), Linda Gregory (Secretary), Ian Hebden, John Meads, Gary Tewart, Alan Whiteman.

Barney Varnfield was co-opted in August 2026.

Councillors John Currall and Jan O’Hara are currently the Council representatives.

The Society is funded by membership subscriptions, sale of publications and merchandise plus money raised from donations and events. We have also obtained a number of grants from national and local organisations.

In 2010, the museum moved from ‘The Poplars’ to rooms in the Civic Centre, once the town’s medical centre, which has the great advantage of being on the ground floor, unlike at ‘The Poplars’ where it was on the first floor. It also has a large free car park. A successful application to the Heritage Lottery Fund meant that in 2011 the museum was refitted with modern conservation standard display cabinets. Since then it has been known as Burton Latimer Heritage Museum.

In 2025 the Heritage Society celebrated its Silver Jubilee, proudly protecting and preserving the history of Burton Latimer for 25 years.