Our first autumn meeting will be this Friday 20th September at the
village hall, doors open 7.00pm for teas, coffees and the allimportant raffle. The talk starting 7.30 will be by Maggie Wood, entitled Mr Gaydon of Brailes and Other Stories Told Through a Collection of Smocks. Smocking was a form of stitching to gather the usually linen fabric of a smock to make it stronger, more flexible and more waterproof. Styles of stitching, embroidery and even the shapes of smocks vary across the country, so the style of the smock worn by Mr Tickner from Ewhurst may be different to those worn by Warwickshire labourers. Maggie Wood was formerly Keeper of Social History for the Warwickshire Museum. Service, and her talk will be based on a collection of local 19th century smocks held at the museum, tracing the stories of the individuals who once wore them. She promises some surprises on the way. We have hosted talks by Maggie in the past and we can expect an entertaining and informative evening about the people and conditions in our area more than a century ago.
Report on August 16th visit to Stratford Guild Chapel
Our expert guides Pamela Devine and Janet Hall introduced our group to the history and original function of the 15th century chapel before describing the internationally important series of wall paintings. First the “Doom” above the chancel arch, showing the Last Judgement, with the saved on the right hand of God and the sinners on the left. Unusually for Doom paintings there are no popes, princes or the rich among the damned, but they are conspicuous among the saved. But then, it was commissioned by the elite of the town!
The painting has suffered some deterioration since its discovery in the early 19th century, but copies made at the time by Thomas Fisher can supply some of the missing elements. A frieze of images and texts running along the north wall of the nave show people from all stations of life being led off by Death in a dance of death, while corresponding images on the south wall show scenes from the life of Adam. . These friezes are now hidden by panelling, but two section were exposed for us to see.
The wall paintings were covered with limewash less
than a century after they were created. This event was recorded by John Shakespeare, the playwright’s father, in his role as Chamberlain of Stratford Corporation.
Since 2022 the chapel has benefitted from Heritage Lottery Funding to conserve and interpret the surviving 15th century paintings, which constitute a rare scheme created at a single period as one programme. Although some parts have been destroyed or overlaid. work continues to enhance and interpret this internationally significant series of images.
Our thanks to our Chapel guides Pamela and Janet, and to Rosemary for arranging this and our other summer outings to Lighthorne village and Stanway House. The trips have been enjoyed by all who joined us.
Forthcoming K&DLHG events
Date | Speaker | Title |
20 September | Maggie Wood | Mr Gaydon of Brailes, stories told through a collection of smocks |
18 October | David Morse | A Dive into Leamington’s Photographic Archive |
15 November | Roger Butler | William James – Stratford’s Pioneering Railway Engineer |
13 December | Paul Thompson | Io Saturnalia |
17 Jan. 2025 | Alex Harvey | Immersive Tech to Explore Medieval Tunnels in Warwick and Elsewhere |
21 Feb. 2025 | William Deakin | History of the Hunt in Kineton |
21 Mar. 2025 | AGM & Martin Sinot-Smith | 37th AGM followed by Daily Life in Tudor Times |
Other Organisations’ Events
Warmington Heritage Group begin their series of evening talks Thursday September 19 at 7.30pm in the
Village Hall when Sealed Knot members Verna and Stephen Wass will be discussing the impact of the
English Civil War on the town and people of Banbury and punctuating the talk with live music played on
instruments of the period. It promises to be a hugely entertaining evening.
Then on Thursday, 17th October at 7.30 in the village hall John Bishop will talk on the history of the
Gaydon RAF base.
RAF Gaydon opened in 1942 and is known for its role during the Cold War, when it was under the control
of RAF Bomber Command as it was the first Royal Air Force (RAF) station to receive the Vickers Valiant
when No. 138 Squadron RAF re-formed here in 1955.
In 1978, the site passed into civilian ownership and today contains the British Motor Museum, the
headquarters of automobile manufacturer Aston Martin, and the Jaguar Land Rover Gaydon Centre.
Please look up the Warwickshire Local History Society’s Other Societies’ Events page for a list of
other meetings of local history interest. You can access it here: Other Events (warwickshirehistory.org.uk)
British Association for Local History. The Kineton Group is a Member of BALH and they run lectures and talks which are open to our members. www.balh.org.uk for upcoming talks available virtually.
Don’t forget to check our own website at: Kineton and District Local History Group.
Membership.
Membership for 2025 is £15. Visitor entrance is £3.00 per meeting.
If you would like to become a Member of the group, our 2025 membership year starts in January. If you attend 5 or more of the 9 meetings we hold every year then Membership is the best option!
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.
Members note that if you pay by cheque make it payable to:
Kineton and District Local History Group, and send or delivered to:
Alec Hitchman,
The Hills Farm,
Pillerton Hersey,
WARKS,
CV35 0QQ
Cash payments can be made at any meeting. For queries contact Alec on alec.hitchman@btinternet.com
KDLHG Committee
President: | Dr Robert Bearman MBE |
Chairman | Rosemary Collier |
Vice-Chairman | Roger Gaunt |
Secretary | Gill Stewart |
Treasurer | Alec Hitchman |
Outings Secretary | David Freke |
Programme Secretary | Claire Roberts |
Membership & PR | Pamela Redgrave |
Archive Data Manager | Carol Clarke |
Archivist | Colin Such Ilona Sekacz |
The committee last met on 11th June in the Community Archive Room, and the June Newsletter summarised its discussions. The next committee meeting will be on 18th September in the Community Archive Room at 7.00pm