NEWSLETTER 12 July 2022
K&DLHG SUMMER OUTINGS.
Our July outing will explore the new bridleway on Pittern Hill (6.30pm July 15th, £5.00).
Photo: Brian Lewis
Our long-term member and previous Chairman, Brian Lewis, spent two decades campaigning to re-establish the historic bridleway on Pittern Hill above Kineton. It was eventually added to the Definitive Map of footpaths by the Highways Authority in 2019. The route gives great views of the village and the wider landscape as well as encompassing many historic features researched and described by Brian in an informative leaflet.
The route passes the site of a Roman villa, which is grand enough to compare with the recently discovered Broughton Estate villa. Other features include evidence of medieval farming, a 19th century “model” farm, an Edwardian Arts and Crafts house, evidence of Kineton’s early water supply systems, as well as the sites of wind and water mills, and the railway.
Meet at the entrance to Alchemie at the bottom of Pittern Hill, 6.30pm
NB The route involves some steep places.
Our last summer visit will be an afternoon in Chipping Norton (August 12th 2.30pm, £10.00). Click here to view flier for more details.
To book for these outings email djfreke@gmail.com and either pay on arrival, or by BACS direct to our bank account: Kineton and District Local History Group, sort code: 40-43-19, business acc. no. 71281992. Please indicate what your payment is for.
Report on our Friday 17th June visit to the village of Ilmington, The street layout reflects its medieval origins, but there are prehistoric, Roman and Saxon elements in its history. Our guide, archaeologist Brian Brock, was keen to establish the long view of Ilmington’s past, literally – he marched us up to the top of a hill to demonstrate the landscape context, which clearly affected the early settlements and communications. He made a convincing case for the area being a bridge between large territories to the east and the west, connected by sight lines and long distance routeways. He treated a kissing gate, isolated in the middle of a wheat field, as a lectern, and pointed out the extent of a Roman site, not a “fort” despite being bounded by large ditches, all now invisible beneath the ripening cereal. He then marched us down the hill again to the village. The original medieval main street now peters out to become a footpath alongside a ditch behind the manor. The site of an earlier moated manor house is now confused by a large modern pond and humps and bumps of excavated material.
In the church Brian presented a collection of items collected from the fields, from Mesolithic flints to medieval pottery. Ilmington had a strong catholic presence throughout the religious controversies of the early modern period, and several 17th and 18th catholic memorials can be seen in the church, identifiable by the inclusion of cross symbols and RIP inscriptions.
Brian’s enthusiasm for the light which these artefacts can throw on Ilmington’s past was infectious, but Our July outing will explore the new bridleway on Pittern Hill (6.30pm July 15th, £5.00). ultimately time was called by his wife, who arrived to draw the visit to a close.
Our thanks to Rosemary Collier for her efforts in organising a fascinating evening.
The 2022-23 Programme
| 15 July 6.30pm | Brian Lewis | Pittern Hill bridleway walk |
| 12 August 2.30pm | Sean Callery | Walk around Chipping Norton |
| 16 September | Norman Hyde | ‘Tennis the Leamington Way.’ the oldest tennis club in the world and its importance to Leamington over 170 years. |
| 21 October | Rosemary Collier | A Potted History of the National Vegetable Research Station, Wellesbourne |
| 18 November | Roy Smart | ‘David Beatty – The Last Naval Hero’ fame and celebrity following the Battle of Jutland, the greatest naval battle in history. |
| 9 December | Richard Churchley | ‘Christmas Songs Through the Ages’ the Middle Ages to the 1940s |
| 20 Jan 2023 | Beat Kümin | ‘For a Good Cause – Church Ales and Early Modern Drinking Culture.’ |
| 17 Feb 2023 | David Fry | The Silk Ribbon Industry of Coventry’ |
| 17 March 2023 | AGM |
Membership. If you are, or would like to become, a Member of the group, your 2022 subscription is due (still £10pa!). Our Treasurer Alec Hitchman awaits! You can pay by cheque made payable to Kineton and District Local History Group, sent or delivered to Alec Hitchman, The Hills Farm, Pillerton Hersey, WARKS, CV35 0QQ, For queries contact Alec on alec.hitchman@btinternet.com You can also join at any talk.
With our bank now charging for payments by cheque or cash, we would urge those who can to please pay by BACS to our bank business account:
name: Kineton and District Local History Group,
sort code: 40-43-19;
acc. no. 71281992. Please include your full name so we can correctly attribute your payment.
Other Societies’ Events.
Wednesday 10th August Alcester and district Local History Society The South Warwickshire Coin Hoard by Dr Stanley Ireland, St Benedict’s High School, Alcester, 7.30pm. The topic of this talk is the large hoard of Roman coins found locally during excavations.
Warwickshire Local History Society
K&DLHG is affiliated to WLHS and our members are entitled to join their meetings.
Sat 16 July 2022 Edgehill BattlefieldWalk.
Please visit WLHS’s Eventbrite page: WLHS Members,’ Meeting Tickets, Eventbrite, to register your interest for this talk. A link and joining instructions will then be sent to you a few days before the event. https://www.warwickshirehistory.org.uk
British Association for Local History. The Kineton Group is also a Member of BALH and they run lectures and talks which are open to our members.
Check their website www.balh.org.uk for upcoming talks available virtually.
Don’t forget to check our own website at: Kineton and District Local History Group (kinetonhistory.co.uk)
2022-23 KDLHG Committee
President: Dr Robert Bearman MBE
Chairman David Freke Other committee members
Vice-Chairman Roger Gaunt Rosemary Collier
Secretary Ilona Sekacz Isobel Gill
Treasurer Alec Hitchman George Lokuciejewski
Outings Secretary vacant Catherine Petrie (PR)
Programme Secretary Claire Roberts Pamela Redgrave
(Membership)
Committee News. The committee met, via Zoom, on 11th July. The treasurer confirmed that our financial situation remains healthy, and that our membership stands at 60. Sources of funding for the Archive Room construction were considered, and an application to Stratford District Council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund was agreed, as was a raffle at each meeting, starting in September. We need to start the project on site to avoid having to re-apply for planning permission, and it was agreed to commission the installation of the new firedoor. Claire provided a list of potential speakers for 2022-23 and a shortlist was agreed for Claire to commence booking. Options for outings in 2023 were discussed, and several committee members offering to explore contacts.
Date of next Committee meeting: 5th September via Zoom 7.00pm,
Contact David Freke tel 01295 670516 mob. 07876 290044 email: djfreke@gmail.com
NB change of email address
DF 12.07.22