A blue plaque trail around the town is being planned to commemorate the Melksham and District Historical Association’s 50th anniversary.

The association was formed in 1962 and has drawn up a list of a dozen buildings of historic importance it wants to mark with a blue plaque to explain their heritage.

The association would also like to produce a booklet guiding visitors from building to building, detailing the history of the town.

Cath Berry, a committee member, said: “We wanted to mark it in a fitting way and enhance the town.

“There are a lot of exciting things going on in Melksham at the moment and we thought this would be a little something towards putting us on the map.”

The association is prepared to fund the plaques and booklet.

Buildings on the shortlist include the Town Hall, the Kings Arms in Market Place, the Town Bridge and the Roundhouse in Church Street.

The association is hoping to get approval from all of the owners before applying for planning permission for the plaques, which is likely to be complex as some of the properties are listed.

The scheme would be open ended, with other plaques added in future.

Mrs Berry said: “We haven’t got any blue plaques of this sort in Melksham. We’ve listed 12, but there will be others that could possibly merit a blue plaque.”

The association has already approached the town council, which owns several of the buildings on the list, with the idea and has received enthusiastic support.

It hopes to have the plaques in place by the time of the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations next year.

Mrs Berry added: “We tried to do this 10 years ago but were asked to hold back because the town trust were going down that route.

“Nothing ever happened and it has folded. I’ve wanted to do this for 15 years. If we don’t do it now, I shall be in my coffin before we get any.”