Routes to Roots

Routes to Roots

Exploring personal ancestry and stories

Over the course of three months in early 2026, this Escape Arts project supported participants and members of the public to take their first steps into exploring their ancestry and connections with the town.

It included creative creative workshops, activities and 1-2-1 ancestry sessions. The sessions encouraged participants to explore their heritage and trace family connections.

With guidance from the facilitator and team, attendees discovered how to begin their research, ask questions and make use of free resources to uncover their family histories. These individual family stories contributed to a wider picture of Stratford-upon-Avon’s diverse community heritage. Participants explored their ancestral origins, mapping the towns, regions and countries connected to their families and revealing the journeys that brought people to Stratford.

The project celebrated the connections between past and present, showing the diversity of the community and the shared histories that help shape modern Stratford-upon-Avon.

Routes to Roots installation and creative workshops facilitated by Jonny Nicholds

Routes to Roots video edited by Steve Kirk.

Licence
CC BY 4.0

A puzzle-piece-shaped board featuring a central tree and a bear, surrounded by various collage elements including a wedding ring, an elephant, a bird, a Celtic cross, and the word Family.

A large puzzle-shaped piece decorated with various flags, coats of arms, a hand-drawn bus, a horse-drawn carriage, a dragon, a map of the Isle of Lewis, and text describing a family's heritage.

A jigsaw puzzle-shaped poster featuring historical photos, maps, and drawings related to English history, with several names written in gothic-style script.

A large pink puzzle piece decorated with hand-drawn illustrations, maps of London and Stratford-upon-Avon, a vintage book cover, and handwritten notes documenting family history and birth years.

A large jigsaw piece collage featuring a map background with hand-drawn illustrations, family historical notes, portraits, and labels detailing life events, locations, and family members.

A large green jigsaw puzzle piece painted with a shamrock, a Claddagh ring, a pint of stout, a stone tower labelled Scrabo Tower, and a statue labelled George Eliot.

A large puzzle piece decorated with hand-drawn illustrations of vintage cars, text, and maps.

A green jigsaw piece decorated with hand-written labels and cut-outs representing milestones: a Newcastle United crest, a drawing of pets, a map of 1994, an origami heart, a mother and child icon, and two neighbourhood maps.

A green jigsaw puzzle piece decorated with a family tree map, featuring photos of Wallingford and Wantage, a watercolour flower, a bird, and handwritten notes about ancestral locations in England.

A large jigsaw piece centred over a printed map, featuring hand-drawn illustrations of buildings, text notes about visiting places, and two photographs of coastal townscapes pasted onto the bottom sections.

A large jigsaw puzzle piece decorated with hand-drawn illustrations, including maps of Ipswich, a sewing machine, a bird, and a list of interests titled My Interests.

A black jigsaw-shaped board featuring a hand-drawn map of various towns and locations, decorated with small illustrations including a ring, a hat, and a bow.

A large red puzzle piece decorated with the year 1940, black-and-white photographs of people and buildings, a crest with the motto United to Serve, a map of the Hinckley area, and small illustrations of a spade, musical notes, and a poppy.

A large jigsaw piece painted with the Scottish flag featuring a biography of Bob Hannigan, including his birth, army service history, hobbies, and death details, illustrated with a golf ball, an Irn Bru can, and the Scotland flag.

A puzzle piece painted with abstract shapes and scenes, featuring labels including the mystery, the white bridge, the inner journey, family and the journey, meaning, love and loss, and into the unknown landscape.

A hand-drawn family tree in white ink on a black, puzzle-piece-shaped background, featuring names like England, Bugeja, and Hamilton branching from a central tree illustration.

A large red puzzle piece decorated with collaged images of various countries, including a map of Australia, a map of Spain, a photo of the Great Barrier Reef, a photo of Irish dancers, a guitar, and several flags.

A pink jigsaw puzzle piece shaped like a map of England, featuring various family photos, handwritten biographical notes, and small illustrations marking locations and key life events.

A pink jigsaw piece decorated with collaged maps, labels for family members, and references to Coventry, including text about 1961, Lady Godiva, and holiday memories.

A large puzzle-shaped cut-out decorated with family photos, hand-drawn sketches, and handwritten labels including Grandma Canada Flag, Mum Land Army, Banbury Cross, and Dad Army South Africa.

A pink, puzzle-piece shaped family tree chart featuring historical family photographs, locations labelled Nuneaton, Bulkington, Shilton, and Coventry, and references to the First and Second World Wars.

A large, dark-red jigsaw piece decoration covered in a collage of family photos, historical facts, and key dates including 1922, 1924, 1948, 1975, and 2005.

A puzzle-shaped collage featuring a hand-drawn wheel with names, a map of the Nuneaton area, the text of a hymn, the year 1970, and a drawing of wedding rings.

A jigsaw puzzle piece decorated with hand-drawn illustrations and labels of local landmarks, including St. Gregory's Church, Emmerdale Farm, and a map of Stratford-upon-Avon.

A jigsaw puzzle piece decorated as a family history collage, featuring images of a tree, horse, American flag, maps of Ohio and Wales, a shoe, gardening tools, and various handwritten notes.

A jigsaw-shaped piece of art depicting symbols of Northampton, including a coat of arms, a boot, a wheatsheaf, a compass, a stork carrying a ribbon, and various crests connected by a winding yellow path.

A jigsaw puzzle piece shaped collage featuring maps, vintage family photographs, and handwritten notes pointing to locations including Nuneaton, Hexham, Ripon, Leicester, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Nottingham, Moira, Luton, and Stranraer.

A large, dark, glittery jigsaw piece decorated with hand-drawn illustrations, collage elements, and handwritten text including Sue Ryder, Down's syndrome, and rocket ship.

“It's inspired me to learn more about my new hometown and has helped me feel grounded and connected to its history and people.” - Participant on the Routes to Roots project.

“The facilitator helped me explore my family history and I was able to see the house where my nan grew up and learn about the jobs she did.” - Participant on their 1-2-1 research session.

“It has completely reignited my passion for family history and given me the confidence to keep exploring further.” - Participant on the Routes to Roots project.

“Escape Arts – Routes to Roots has been an absolutely wonderful and invaluable experience for me. It gave me the perfect opportunity to fill in important gaps in my family tree that I had struggled with for years.” - Participant on their 1-2-1 research session.