Oswestry Town Council Archive Service secures national accreditation for second time

Oswestry Town Council's Archive Service has once again been awarded national accredited status, a significant recognition of the continued high quality of service it provides in preserving and making accessible the town's rich history.

This marks the second time the archive service has achieved this prestigious UK quality standard, which assesses good performance across all aspects of archive service delivery. Accreditation is reviewed every six years, underscoring the archive's consistent adherence to national benchmarks.

Achieving accreditation signifies that the Oswestry Town Council Archive meets the rigorous national standards required for the care and conservation of its unique collections, as well as ensuring the accessibility of this valuable heritage to the public.

Located within the Guildhall in the heart of Oswestry, the archives house a fascinating array of records chronicling the town's development. Among its treasures is the oldest document, dating back to 1324, a grant by the Earl of Arundel concerning two shops to the Burgesses of Oswestry.

The Archive Service accreditation panel was particularly impressed by the breadth of outreach activities undertaken by the service. They also acknowledged the strong commitment from Oswestry Town Council towards the archive and the crucial support received from Shropshire Archives.

Arren Roberts, Oswestry Town Council Clerk, expressed his delight at the news: "We are absolutely delighted to have earned industry accreditation again. It shows we are working to the high standards needed to safeguard our town’s heritage, which means records can be kept in Oswestry where they are easily accessible to people." Looking ahead, Mr Roberts added, "Digital preservation is one area that we will be focusing on next."

He also extended thanks to Kerry Evans, the Shropshire Council archivist who oversees the local archive service. "The work we do together to promote this invaluable resource is a great example of effective partnership working," said Mr Roberts.