A small band of intrepid members braved the particularly warm weather to visit this historic site. Norton Priory was founded in the 11th century and became a major monastic site until the Dissolution. It slowly fell into ruin but more recently it has become the most excavated monastic site in Europe. Norton Priory has benefited from significant funding and now has an excellent Visitor Centre and Museum. Assembling after coffee, we were given a guided tour around the site and museum. Members then had a chance to explore on their own and later to enjoy lunch.
See http://nortonpriory.org/ for more information.
Some us then walked over to the 2.5 acre Georgian walled gardens. These excellent gardens were unfortunately suffering (like us) from some some exceptionally hot and dry weather. We need to go back in a 'normal' summer.
The Society held its AGM at Tiverton Village Hall on 24th May.
Some 18 members attended.
It was reported that we now had 48 members and finances were healthy. We had some £1894 in reserves.
The following officers were elected.
Tom Platt Chair
Trish Welch Vice-chair
Bob Welch Treasurer
Paul Bujac Secretary
Items discussed included next year's programme and the Society's Privacy Policy.
Details can be found in the draft minutes; follow Draft minutes
The meeting was followed by an open discussion on how things, particularly communications, had changed in our life times.
Members were given an insight into life in an English Prep school in the late 50's and early 60's when Andrew Wheeler talked about his time as a boarder at Hampton House School. This school moved from Chester post war into Gardenhurst, a gentlemen's residence, and then closed in the 60's. The building was then demolished and site developed for housing and for the local Deeside Ramblers hockey club.
Andrew gave a personal view of being a young boarder, away from home, and, in particular, his recollections of the staff and some scandal.
Our speaker in March, Sally French-Greenslade, took us back over a century to a Victorian living room. Using a wide range of artefacts, Sally gave us a glimpse of life when Queen Victoria was on the throne. Chamber candlesticks showed us the way to bed before electricity appeared; Victorian face shields in front of the coal fire kept the ladies complexions pale before central heating arrived; embroidered samplers showed off the ladies' craft skills; many other decorative and practical items illustrated the domestic life of the times.
Jeremy Nichols came to tell us about the Nantwich and Market Drayton Railway. This railway was opened in 1863 and provided part of the link between Crewe and the Midlands for the GWR. Although passenger traffic was modest, the line was an important freight route. However as part of the Beeching rationalisation plan, the line closed to passenger traffic in 1963 (just 100 years of service) and to freight traffic in 1967.
Jeremy grew up in Nantwich within sight of this railway, and he retrieved many old documents from the derelict Audlem station before it was demolished. He used many of these documents, eg receipts for goods carried, to show how the railway was managed and, intriguingly, how the railway changed the rural life in South Cheshire. Jeremy also showed us photographs both from the railway's heyday and from the final years before closure. The talk brought back memories for many members, who wherever they were at the time, had been brought with steam travel.
Martin Tobbit, who is a
member of the Crewe and Nantwich Metal Detecting Society, gave a very personal talk on metal detecting. He explained how he became fascinated with how metal detecting can be used to discover the past. Briefly introducing his modern detection equipment, he told us how he has been searching the local fields, and what he had unearthed. Perhaps the most memorable part of Martin's talk, was when he passed around some of his finds. It's not every evening that you handle a neolithic arrow head and a Roman coin.
The run up to Christmas is always a busy time so we had decided not to invite a speaker. Instead we had an enjoyable 'homespun' meeting when members brought along and described a few historic personal items. It's amazing what people have tucked away at home. The evening finished with mince pies, stollen, and a topical quiz.
