TECHNOLOGY is providing a fascinating insight into the history of an ancient Cheshire village.

Goostrey Parish Archive has launched a new website to share its precious collection of old images and documents.

Residents and visitors from all over the world can now access thousands of items recording life as it was lived from the 16th century and even earlier.

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The website follows the successful launch earlier this year by Goostrey Parish Archive of a Facebook group.

Their new social media link has attracted a growing number of followers and has encouraged more residents than ever to add their contributions of village life over the years.

Church Bank, Goostrey, hasn't change much in the past century, apart from trees providing a screenChurch Bank, Goostrey, hasn't change much in the past century, apart from trees providing a screen (Image: John Williams)

Professional website designer Karen Taylor, who lives in Goostrey, has been working with the small archive team for several months to select items for its initial launch.

More items will be added to the collection over the coming months and years.

Eventually, it is planned for many of the photographs of local people and events and images of documents and artefacts held in the collection to be digitised and transferred to the website.

The archive currently also collects material from the adjoining village of Twemlow, with family ties and activities involving the twin communities.

It is hoped the website will play a leading role in village life with its content linking a nostalgic past for local-born families and creating a sense of community with recent newcomers in Goostrey interested in learning more about its past.

But setting up and maintaining a website does not come cheaply.

So far, it is being self-funded and through a generous donation from a member, the late Michael Burt, who sadly passed away this year, alongside several gifts from residents.

There is no regular income to fund the archive.

It is hoped a further appeal for donations and sponsorship will be successful in enabling the work of the volunteers to continue for many more years than the current 50 which began with the previous Goostrey History Society.

The archive was fortunate to inherit the history society's records.

Research over many years and has since become the depository of family records and histories and photographs of local life from early Victorian times in Goostrey's historic townships of Barnshaw, Blackden and Twemlow.

Much of the collection was meticulously gathered by the late Jean Smallwood, a local historian whose book Goostrey Remembered continues to bean invaluable source of information in the archive.

The archive is now established in the Village Hall and is open most Tuesdays.

To view the new online archive visit goostreyparisharchive.co.uk

To donate visit gofundme.com/f/goostrey-parish-archive-website