Saturday 29 November 2014

Christmas Event 4th December

We are holding our December meeting earlier this year to avoid the busy pre Christmas rush.

Tom Hughes, who gave a fascinating talk on bagpipes last year, is coming to tell us about Tudor Christmas Fairs and Festivities.

We hope to round off the evening with some seasonal refreshments.

We would like to know numbers for catering. If you didn't put your name down on the list last Thursday, please let me (paul.bujac@virgin.net) know if you are coming.

Lion Salt Works Volunteer event Tuesday 9th December

Kerry Fletcher's talk on Middlewich emphasised how important salt has been to the history and economy of Cheshire. Significant efforts are being made to preserve and develop this heritage.

Andrew Needham reminds us about one major project. The Lion Salt Works is an historic open-pan salt making site that is being restored and transformed into a unique heritage attraction. Located in the village of Marston, close to the town of Northwich, the site lies adjacent to the Trent and Mersey Canal and is close to the historic Anderton Boat Lift. A substantial part of the site is a Scheduled Monument.

The Salt Works project team are inviting people to their first volunteer event on Tuesday 9th Decemebr at 11am. The team note:

'This event will be an informal social meeting to discuss the potential roles available for volunteers at the Lion Salt Works and Weaver Hall Museum and to sign up to your interested areas.  It will be an opportunity to meet with members of staff and other volunteers and hear about the exciting new opportunities and future plans at both sites over a cup of tea and mince pie.
If you would like to attend this event could you please email Lorna Kernahan (Lorna.Kernahan@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk)  by Friday 5th December.  If you are interested in volunteering with us but cannot make this event we will be running another event in January 2015'.  
For more details of the project go to http://lionsaltworks.org/
or see Northwich Guardian 

Middlewich and Salt 27th November

One of the enjoyable aspects of our talks is discovering more about local communities. Kerry Fletcher's talk took us around Middlewich, a town not that many miles away but one few of us have explored. Kerry, who is Heritage Development Officer for Middlewich Town Council, introduced us to the history of Middlewich and its salt production and trade.  Middlewich (or Middle Town) has been a key trading post and crossroads since the Iron Age. For some 200+ years, it was the main salt making site for the Romans. The opening of the canals gave the town a significant boost to trade and led to the setting up of its chemical industry. 

For those who would like to know more about Middlewich and its heritage, please go to the excellent website http://middlewich-heritage.org.uk/.

Friday 7 November 2014

Chester Cathedral 7th October

A small group of Society members enjoyed a fascinating guided tour of Chester Cathedral. Even though I've lived in Cheshire for most of my life, I didn't appreciate the historic significance that the Cathedral had escaped the worst effects of the Dissolution of the Monasteries and thus has had an unbroken link back to its first construction in Norman times. We were fortunate to have a knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide (Nick Fry) who not only explained the history and the architecture but added a very human touch to our visit.

A smaller group stayed for lunch in the Refectory, a little disappointing menu but we enjoyed the piano playing and the atmosphere of a room that has been used for dining for centuries. An even smaller and braver group ventured to the top of the tower where, I was told later, the views were great. Photographs anyone?

Nick Fry will be giving a talk on 'Treasures of Chester Cathedral' for Tarvin Civic Trust on Tuesday 13th January at the Tarvin Community Centre at 8pm. Visitors are welcome.


Owain Glyndwr 25th September


At the first meeting of the 2014-2015 Season, Idris Evans gave an informative and highly entertaining talk on “Owain Glyndwr, The last Prince of Wales”.

He explained how the man who came from a wealthy and privileged family in North Wales, was educated by monks, came to unite the whole of Wales under his leadership and told of his early successes against the English. However, eventually the might of England prevailed and Owain disappeared to become a story of myth and legend.


Bob Welch