KDLHG SUMMER OUTINGS.
Our last summer visit will be an afternoon in Chipping Norton on Friday August 12th at 2.30pm (£10.00). We will be shown round the historic town of Chipping Norton by Sean Callery, a Blue Badge Guide. The town was a centre for the medieval Cotswold wool trade and the magnificent church of St Mary the Virgin is a result of the prosperity that wool brought to the town.
Also of note are the Almshouses, the Guild Hall and the neoclassical Town Hall. Just outside the town is Bliss Tweed Mill, with its distinctive domed chimney-base, a landmark for miles around.
Hear tales of the town that walked up the hill, a policeman saved by a thin skull, how trees cure headaches, and see where a vicar lost out to a king and the sites of an alarming number of riots! .
Meet at New Street Car Park (free), in Hill Lawn Ct, OX7 5NF opposite the entrance to Sainsbury’s car park.
NB meeting time 2.30pm
Report on our 15th July outing exploring the new bridleway on Pittern Hill.
Our former Chairman Brian Lewis has spent two decades campaigning and researching the historic bridleway on Pittern Hill above Kineton. He has produced an attractive and informative guide to the features to be seen from the bridleway and its associated footpaths. On a very hot evening Brian came to introduce the walk at the foot of Pittern Hill, leaving us to walk up past the forage tower (constructed from the top down!) and past Pittern Hill House and stables, now being converted to residential use. Brian and Daphne rejoined us at the top of the hill and accompanied us for the first few hundred yards of the bridleway. Unfortunately Brian became unwell, and was helped down the field, to be rescued by Daphne in their car, after being rested in a garden chair borrowed from Longbourne Farm’s garden. I’m pleased to report that he made a full recovery. So we lost our guide, but not before we had had the benefit of his detailed knowledge of the Pittern Hill landscape and its development. The bridleway showed clearly as a wide stony track, winding past a windmill mound, reliably identified, as Brian has tracked down an historic map showing a windmill in approximately this location. Passing the cows (and a distant bull) we viewed Pittern Hill Farm (now named Longbourne Farm) and its rather grand listed barn. Brian gave us a full history of farm and its agricultural context.
Our route then passed the site of Brookhampton Roman villa, which is large enough to compare with the recently discovered Broughton Estate villa. We followed Brookhampton Lane before diving down past the sewage works to the River Dene, and then up again to King John’s Mound at the end of Castle Road. This motte and bailey castle may or may not have anything to do with King John (see the similarly named King John’s Well nearby, and King John’s Lane in Edgehill). The castle could be related to the anarchy of Stephen’s reign (1135-1154) or the rebellion in John’s (1199-1216), and is more likely to have been a local lord’s response to unrest rather than either King’s personal initiative. Our recent talk by Ann Langley on allotments is relevant to Castle Road, which occupies the site of allotments visible on post-war aerial photos. Our thanks to Brian and Daphne for enabling such an informative trip, I’m sure everybody present learned some surprising things about the immediate environs of the village.
The 2022-23 Programme
| Date | Speaker | Topic |
| 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 |
Other Societies’ Events.
Alcester and District Local History Society
Wednesday 10th August. 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 archaeological excavations and now on display in Warwick Museum.
Warwickshire Local History Society
K&DLHG is affiliated to WLHS and our members are entitled to join their meetings. Their summer outing to Middleton Hall, Tamworth, is planned for September 7th from 11.00am to 4.00pm: A morning tour of the hall followed by members’ choice of packed lunch or lunch in the cafe, with access to the hall and gardens for the rest of the day.
Join Middleton Hall’s expert volunteer tour guides as they lead you on a journey through the Hall’s fascinating history which encompasses 900 years of exploration, discoveries and quirky characters. The oldest building on site dates back to 1285 and is believed to be the oldest domestic building in North Warwickshire. After a group tour in the morning you will then be free to explore the house and gardens at your leisure for the remainder of the day. Price: WLHS members: £13.75; non WLHS members: £15.75.
Ticket price includes tea and coffee on arrival, morning guided tour and access to house and gardens for remainder of the day. It does NOT include lunch but you can either bring your own lunch to eat in their outdoor picnic area or visit the café nearby.
The buildings of Middleton Hall are grade II* listed and there are multiple steep staircases, no lifts and areas of uneven ground. All tours involve a considerable amount of walking, are up to 75 minutes long and are unsuitable for those with mobility limitations. However, an alternative ground floor Hall tour can be arranged in advance and there is an interactive tour available in the entrance.
Booking details are included on the Middleton Hall booking form. 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.
Lighthorne History Society Friday 23 Sept, The Czech Army in south Warwickshire in WW II, by John Berkeley, Lighthorne Village Hall, 8 pm. In World War II 4000 Czech army volunteers escaped Czechoslovakia and formed the Czech Free Army in Britain. Units of their field artillery were trained and quartered in Moreton Hall, Moreton Paddox, Walton Hall and Kineton.
Long Itchington History Group. Wednesday 14th September “Southam “Bobbies” 100 years of Southam Police. LindaDoyle, Village Community Centre,7.30 pm. £3.00
Kenilworth History and Archaeology Society. Monday12th Sept. Coventry in the Civil War John Chester. We meet at 7.30pm for a prompt start at 7.45 in The Senior Citizens’ Club off Abbey End Car Park, behind The Almanack in Kenilworth Town Centre. All are welcome. Entry is free for members and entry for non-members costs £2.
Wellesbourne & Walton Local History Group Wednesday 26th October 2022 at 7:30 pm The Mediaeval Wall Paintings in the Guild Chapel Stratford” Talk by Pamela Devine and Janet Hall
All are welcome –Wellesbourne Village Hall. Entry for non-members £3. Contact Charlie and Peggy Gilbert on 01789 841805 or Email treblig99@outlook.com
Or see our website: sites.google.com/site/wellesbournelocalhistory/
Leamington History Group . Monday, 26th September Sir William Lyons and Jaguar Cars, talk by Tony Merrygold (Jaguar Daimler Heritage Trust). at 7.30 pm at the Oddfellows Hall, New Street. Refreshments will be available after the meeting.
The Sealed Knot. Sunday .August 28 – Monday August 29 The Battle of Edgehill. THE BATTLE of EDGEHILL is brought to life with a major battle of musket, pike, canon and cavalry. Come and see the civilian and military displays. Hosted by Oliver Cromwell’s Brigade.
At Home Farm, Compton Verney, Warks. CV35 9HJ
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. 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)
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.
2022-23 KDLHG Committee
President: Dr Robert Bearman MBE
Chairman David Freke
Vice-Chairman Roger Gaunt
Secretary Ilona Sekacz
Treasurer Alec Hitchman
Outings Secretary vacant
Programme Secretary Claire Roberts
Other committee members
Rosemary Collier
Isobel Gill
George Lokuciejewski
Catherine Petrie (PR)
Pamela Redgrave (Membership)
Committee News. There has been no committee meeting since the July Newsletter report
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 02.08.22