Support the Society

The Society of Antiquaries has been making history since its foundation in 1707. The elected Fellows of our learned society were rescuing pictures and antiquities for the nation before the British Museum and National Gallery were founded. The drawings and records of churches and monuments that the Society made in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries are now very often the only record we have of the destroyed originals. We pioneered the techniques that make archaeology a distinct science and fought the battles in Parliament that secured the first legislation to protect such monuments as Avebury and Stonehenge.

Today our 3,000 Fellows continue to make history through research, education and fieldwork. The Society receives no funding from Government, the subscriptions of our Fellows making our activities possible. This is a great strength, allowing us to act as independent and objective advocates for heritage.

There are a number of ways in which you can help us to make history. The Society is a registered charity and all funds raised help us to continue to encourage the 'study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries' as decreed by our Royal Charter of 1751.

Click here to go our Making History Campaign page.

Donation, Gift Aid and Direct Debit forms

Donations can be made using the following form (Word file 41 KB). If you wish to spread your contribution over a number of years, you can do so by setting up a Direct Debit using the form that can be downloaded here (Word file, 438 KB). We also ask that you complete a Gift Aid form to ensure that the maximum tax benefits accrue to the Society; the relevant form can be downloaded here (Word file, 422 KB).

(Left) John Gipkin’s diptych of 1616 is a rare example of
Jacobean fundraising; it was painted to encourage
donations for the restoration of St Paul’s Cathedral after
damage by lightning in 1561. The final panel offers a
vision of angels rejoicing in celebration at the
splendours of the restored church.