Since its founding in 1972, Mere Historical Society has been encouraging the study of history in general and of Mere and district in particular. We do this by running:

• a programme of morning and evening talks during the autumn and winter months in the Grove Building (below). These talks are sometimes given by members on subjects of particular interest to them
• In the past visits to places of historic interest were organised during the summer months.

To view the Society’s Constitution please follow this link.

Mere Library and Museum (Dr Colin Anderson)

At its first meeting in Mere Library (right) on 20th April 1972, more than 80 people enrolled, paying an annual subscription of 50p. Now more than 40 years on, the Society has a membership in excess of 100. That meeting grew out of the work of an ad-hoc Local History Committee, who had researched, written and published ‘The Story of Mere’ (Blackmore Press, 1958).

The original committee members were: Miss Joyce Rutter, Mrs Norah Rutter, Mr Fenton Rutter, Mrs Christine Wallis, Mrs Ethel M. Morris, Mr Richard Coward and Dr David Longbourne.

The banner image at the top is from a 19th-century engraving of the Market House (and surrounding inns and shops) in The Square, Mere, in about 1860. The Market House fell into ruins and was demolished in 1863, to be replaced by the present clock tower in 1868.

Photos: Ros Castro, Caroline Cook, Jenny Wilding;

Website: Steve Hoffman & Simon Edkins