A new museum is set to open its doors in Towcester, Northamptonshire this weekend.

The museum is intended to be a symbol of the town's pride in its history as one of the oldest continuously occupied settlements in Britain and will be a focal point for tourism.

There will be three exhibitions, the first traces the origins of the town from the Stone Age through the Bronze Age and Iron Ages to the end of the Roman occupation. The second exhibition covers the rise of Anglo-Saxon Towcester, through the Medieval period up to the English Civil War. The third looks at the Georgian and Victorian periods to the present day.

Museum chair, Rob Hamblin, said: "It’s been a long journey but we have finally got there. Creating a museum of quality that recognises Towcester's rich history has been a huge task for trustees and volunteers. As a small charity working in tough economic times opening the museum has been no mean achievement."