Ian Clarke A ambitious project to capture the history and heritage of Watton and surrounding villages has been given a major boost with a £124,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Ian Clarke

An ambitious project to capture the history and heritage of Watton and surrounding villages has been given a major boost with a £124,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The Wayland Partnership Development Trust wants to create "a legacy for our children and grandchildren" by unearthing a wealth of historic information.

The award will fund a heritage officer to work with the community - especially schools - in Watton and the 13 villages which make up Wayland to find gems which are hidden in old buildings, ancient records, in the natural environment and in people's memories.

The trust will use discoveries to create a package of materials that will be shared with future generations of residents and visitors.

The project will give members of the local community the opportunity to train in a wide range of skills, from research and recording to interviewing, writing, field-walking, hedge-counting, photography and illustration.

Bronwen Tyler, local historian and partnership trustee, said: "This grant will allow us to create a legacy for our children and grandchildren."

Robyn Llewellyn, head of HLF East of England, said: "The Capturing the Wayland Heritage project will provide a wonderful opportunity for communities to come together, learn about and celebrate their heritage."