NEWSLETTER 11th July 2018
Forthcoming K&DLHG event. On Friday July 20th we are 
trying something new for this outing, with a lunchtime picnic and guided tour of the Rollright Stones. Meet at the Stones layby at 12.00 noon. Our guide will be David Shirt, Chairman of the Trustees of the Rollright Stones. No refreshments are provided, but you may like to bring a picnic, or Wyatts Farm Shop and café is about a mile or so away. The tour charge is £2.50 per person.
Our final summer outing is the all-day coach trip to the historic Bristol Docks and SS Great Britain on Saturday August 11th. The coach leaves from outside St Peter’s Church, Kineton, at 8.45am. The very extensive historic Bristol Docks area has been completely refurbished, and now houses museums, historic boats, restaurants, bars, art galleries and Brunel’s SS Great Britain. The cost, including entrance to the SS Gt Britain, is only £28.00 per person. We need to fill our coach so if you know of non-members who would be interested in coming on this trip please spread the word. You can still sign up to the Bristol trip by phoning Isobel (01926 640426) or Ilona (01295 670675) or by replying to this email (frekedj@globalnet.co.uk).
Report on the 22nd June village walk around Long Itchington. On a very pleasant warm evening 27 members assembled near the church in Long Itchington.
We moved off to encounter what seemed to be a disappointment at the locked church (of which more later), and then walked on to see the large and striking timber-framed house that everybody sees from the Southam road. We learned that it was once a coaching inn, and we thought we could see the filled-in archway to the yard behind, now occupied by a later bay window. The ostentatious timbering at the front is not carried on around the not-so-visible side away from the village green. It later belonged to the Sitwell family but was not their primary residence.
The village pond (“the Pit”) occupies the site of an old brick pit, and is now a well-cared for and environmentally friendly home for ducks. Sauntering on we saw at least two Vicarages, the Old Police House and the Buck and Bell pub before diving down a narrow “Jitty”, past the detached portion of the cemetery, to emerge in a new development on the site of the British Legion’s Galanos House.
We wandered back toward the village centre, passing the Co-op (the third incarnation on the same site), the Green Man pub, several fine timber-framed cottages, and the Old School. Behind the church is the Manor Farm where our guide was brought up. It was our last scheduled stop but as we arrived back at the church we noticed activity around the previously locked church door, and we gate-crashed the helpers setting up for the next Sunday’s “Messy Church” service. The helpers were surprised but most welcoming, and some chairs were soon occupied by some of our party. The church is large and very light and airy, and the medieval masons had thoughtfully provided two watchers at a trip hazard they’d made.
Medieval CCTV? The imposing tower, minus its steeple
Among the memorials was one surmounted by sword and a military bearskin hat, sculpted accurately enough for David Beaumont to date it. Your Chairman took the opportunity to skip lightly round the churchyard where amidst the 19th and 20th century memorials are a handful of early 18th century headstones, carved in the baroque style we are familiar with from our Kineton examples.
Many thanks to Long Itchington History Society and Dave Williams for a delightful and very relaxed evening, giving ample time for us to savour the atmosphere of the village, and catch up on news and gossip.
Other Society’s matters.
The London & North Western Railway Society, based in Kenilworth, has sent out an appeal to members of other societies who may have an interest in the L&NWR. They would like to hear from anybody with genealogical enquiries, archives, or information related to the railway company, as they have an extensive archive in Kenilworth. They offer to scan relevant documents up to 42 inches, free of charge, in return for a copy of the scanned material, the original, and copyright remaining with the owner. They are also planning training for conservation of archive materials. If this is of interest to you their web site can be found at: www.lnwrs.org.uk/
Other Local Heritage Events.
Market Hall Museum Warwick is running a series of events in July focussing on recent archaeological discoveries:
Monday 23rd July: New discoveries using LIDAR: hillforts, barrows, medieval villages and more. Bryn Gethin, 7.00 – 9.00pm £7.50
Thursday 26th July: Roman rural settlement at Shipston on Stour. Ed Pearson, 7.00-9.00pm £7.50
Thursday 31st July Warwick’s Roman Villa, recently discovered. Caroline Rann and Eri Kleisoura. 7.00-9.00pm £7.50
Kenilworth, the Abbey “Barn” museum is open each Sunday and bank Holiday Monday 2.30-4.30. Entrance free.
Committee Matters.
The committee had an extra meeting on 2nd July to discuss the 2019-2020 programme. A provisional list was compiled, with actions for committee members required to approach potential speakers and research possible venues for outings.
The next KDLHG Committee Meeting is on Monday the 10th August 2018.
DF 13.07. 2018