Church of the Holy Cross, Chiseldon

An exciting exhibition revealing Chiseldon's history went on display at the end of June.

As BBC Wiltshire discovers, there is more to this North Wiltshire village than meets the eye.

Before the Midland and South Western Junction Railway was constructed, the north Wiltshire village of Chiseldon was a united community.

The train at Platform One: the site of Chiseldon's railway station.

Like the wall that separated East and West Berlin during the darkest days of the Cold War, the railway line, which was opened in 1881, also carved the community in two.

The village, which had remained unaltered for centuries, suddenly changed - almost beyond recognition - as buildings were demolished and huge amounts of earth were brought in to build embankments.

Despite this upheaval and resulting north-south split, certain aspects of Chiseldon remain a constant in the village's long history.

Notably, places such as the Church and the old thatched cottages in Church Street remind the visitor that Chiseldon's historical roots are buried firmly in the chalky-soil below.

Sheila Passmore, from the Chiseldon Local History Group, says that there were scattered settlements in the area dating back to prehistoric and Roman times, although the village itself was started back in Saxon times.

Few people realise that Chiseldon lies on one of the country's oldest highways, the Icknield Way.

It is an ancient route that is still evident in the village today but it was through Sheila's research into the local area that confirmed her suspicions.

Mays Lane: Chiseldon's Icknield Way

Before the arrival of the railway Chiseldon was very much an agricultural community but Sheila says that the railway's arrival opened up their horizons.

"People suddenly had the opportunity to work away from the village and many ended up in the Great Western Railway Works, ironically taken there each day by the Midland and South Western Junction Railway," she says.

All of this history was celebrated with a three-day exhibition tracing the village through the ages.

"Because we have such a fund of information about the village, we decided to have some open days to show the village what we've got and to show how the village has changed over the years," Sheila adds.

Using a number of display boards and a selection of artifacts found in the area, the exhibition traces Chiseldon's fascinating past century by century.

Also on display was a three-foot working model of the last steam locomotive to pass along the railway line in Chiseldon.

The model, which was built by John Dudley, is of a class 51XX and is painted in British Railways 54 colours.

Sheila Passmore and Chiseldon's church in the background

Sheila hoped that newcomers to Chiseldon, in particular those who live on the outskirts of the village, would use the exhibition see for themselves what is on their doorstep.

She says, "I'd like them to feel that this is a place with history and that they're a part of it.

"I hope they will have an interest in the place in which they live and say 'yes, I live in Chiseldon, a place the goes back as far as you can imagine and I'm part of it.'"

The Washpool a hundred years ago

Click here for BBC Wiltshire's look at some of Chiseldon's historical facts and figures.