AGM & Summer outing to Dorfold Hall

Just a reminder that the AGM will be held on 23 May. Members have had details either by email or post.
At the meeting Di Carr will give more information on the Society's trip to Dorfold Hall, Acton near Nantwich on Thursday 27 June.
Check out HHA or Wikipedia for more details of the Hall.

An on target talk

At the meeting of the Society held on 25th April, 32 members and guests heard Bernard Dennis give a talk entitled " The History of the Longbow." Bernard began by explaining the origins of the bow as a weapon of war, hunting and sport from the very earliest times of mankind.

 

With the aid of pictures and examples he described the development of bows through to the Longbow made famous by English and Welsh (Cheshire & Flintshire) archers throughout the mediaeval period. He described how these archers used the weapon so effectively throughout this period that it became as a weapon of war more or less unstoppable. He explained that the archers spent hours of practice from the age of 7 years to achieve their superb proficiency.

Bernard described how these weapons were made and the various different skills that went into their construction. These different skills are still to be found in surnames that we find today, like "Bowman, Fletcher or Stringer" and phrases like "highly strung" or "having more than one string to one's bow".

The audience really enjoyed the talk and judging by the large number of questions afterwards it had been thought provoking as well.

 

Bob Welch

History of the Longbow Thursday 25 April

The last talk of the season will be 'History of the Longbow' by Bernard Dennis.

Tiverton Village Hall 7:30. All welcome.

A scholarly account

Roger Wickson captivated the Society last Thursday with a scholarly account of the Fourth Crusade. Roger told a tale of human endeavour and failings, commercial rivalry, religious fervour, intrigue and bad luck. This was a tale of how crusader knights started out to recover the Holy Land for Christianity and ended up sacking Christian Constantinople.

Roger produced a handout giving more details and references; see Handout
For those wishing to find out more, see  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_Crusade

The fall of Constantinople and the link to modern times Thursday 28 March

This week's talk will be given by Roger Wickson.
Usual place: Tiverton Village Hall. Usual time 7:30 pm.
All welcome. Let's hope the snow doesn't return.

An Olympic Journey

On Thursday, David Cummings shared his enthusiasm for sport and the Olympics. Backed by a kaleidoscope of slides, David traced the history of the Olympic movement from ancient Greece, through the Victorian initiatives in Much Wenlock, through the modern revival in Athens in 1896, to London 2012. David's talk contrasted the ruins of the original site in Olympia with the spectacle of London's Olympics and Paralympics.

For those wishing to learn more about the Olympics, follow the link to Wikipedia.

The Olympics Ancient to Modern via Much Wenlock Thursday 28 February.

David Cummings Chairman of Christleton Local History Group explores the history of the Olympic Movement from the first games at Olympia & Delphi in Ancient Greece, to the modern Olympic Games inspired by the work of Dr William Penny Brookes a G.P. at Much Wenlock, Shropshire in the 1850's. The modern International Olympic Movement was formed by Baron Pierre de Coubertain after a visit to Wenlock in 1890, and during his talk we visit Athens and the site of the first modern Games in 1896. He then brings the story up to date with pictures and accounts of many of the sports and venues from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, including the main Olympic Park at Stratford.

Usual time and place - 7:30 pm at the Tiverton Village Hall. All are welcome.