In contrast to the late 16th century wealth, the Industrial revolution skipped Wotton in favour of locations where transport, by road, water or rail was easier.

The small cottage weavers that had made Wotton into a prosperous town declined steadily in the late 18th Century, and by Victorian times Wotton had reverted to being a small market town, serving the needs of a shrinking local population.

Fortunately for us, this was also the time when photography became a popular pastime among the landed gentry, and the Heritage Centre has a fine collection of early photographs going back to 1850.