FROM witches to conscientious objectors, crayfish catching to beer selling, church towers to sleeping porches – 5,000 years covering the history of Norton village is now unveiled. Norton: Past, Present and Future is a joint exhibition run by the town s tw

FROM witches to conscientious objectors, crayfish catching to beer selling, church towers to sleeping porches - 5,000 years covering the history of Norton village is now unveiled.

Norton: Past, Present and Future is a joint exhibition run by the town's two museums as part of Museums and Galleries month 2006.

The Past is recollected at the First Garden City Heritage Museum in Norton Way South, now running until June 3, and the Present and Future part of the exhibition will be captured in the Mezzanine Gallery at the Letchworth Museum & Art Gallery in Broadway, starting on May 13 and also finishing on June 3.

The Heritage exhibition is packed full of paintings, ephemera and photographs and includes many archaeological items from Norton digs, plus a competition and activities for children.

The Present and Future part of the exhibition will discover how Norton residents, young and old, view their community and explore their vision for its future.

For many centuries, the Abbey at St Albans owned Norton and the village appears in the Doomsday Book. The entry refers to five cottagers, one bondman, a priest, a Frenchman, five villains and one slave

In addition to the exhibitions there will be:

* A free lunchtime illustrated talk on Norton by local historian Deborah Giles, on Tuesday, May 16, from 1pm to 2pm, at Letchworth Museum. No booking necessary.

* A free guided walk around Norton, led by local historian Paul Palmer, on Saturday, May 27, from 10.30am to noon with the meeting point at Radwell Meadows, Greenway car park, Nortonbury Lane.

* A free talk - The Saxon and Medieval Settlement Excavations at Green Lane - at Letchworth Museum (7.30pm) by North Herts District Council's archaeologist Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews. No booking necessary.

There will also be a meeting on Monday, May 8, at 7.30pm at the community centre, North Avenue, with a view to setting up an ongoing community archaeology project for Norton. Anyone interested in archaeology and wanting to play an active part is invited along.

Ring 01462 482710 or email fgchm@letchworth.com or 01462 685647 or email letchworth.museum@north-herts.gov.uk for more information about events.