Compton Bassett lies within the county of Wiltshire in England and was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. The village is dispersed along a two-mile road that meanders along at the foot of the Marlborough Downs escarpment. It was first designated as a Conservation Area in November 1974 and is also part of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape. The village shop and post office have gone but the church, inn and village hall are integral components for a community of 260 people. Farming and agriculture remain an important aspect of village life.

Compton Bassett History Archive is an online resource which tells the village’s life story. It contains historical photographs and documents, details of the houses and people who lived in them, maps, first-hand accounts and audio recordings.

A collection of village photos was started by Reg Rumming & family. Later on, it was extended by John Reis, who established the first catalogue of the archive and initiated much investigation into the history of the parish. Since 2014, more photos and documents have been added and research into the history of the village and its people carried out by Laurie Waite, the results of which you see here.