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Latest news |
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Latest news |
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New National Almshouses Research Project. The Family & Community Historical Research Society will be launching their new national research project into the history of almshouses at their May 2006 annual conference. The project is being undertaken in partnership with the Local Population Studies Society and will last about eighteen months. They are keen to recruit any local historians with an interest in almshouses to the project. For more details contact: The Co-ordinator, FACHRS Almshouses Research project, 12 Squires Road, Stretton-on-Dunsmore, Rugby CV23 9HF, email: almshouses@fachrs.org.uk. Folkestone in the First Millennium Project. The Folkestone People's History Centre has just launched its first major project — a five year study into the town's earliest history, from the Iron Age to the Anglo-Saxon period, which will focus on the East Cliff and Bayle areas. A team of professional archaeologists will work alongside local residents, with particular attention being paid to the Bayle, which grew into the mediaeval town of Folkestone and where St Eanwythe's Convent, the first religious community for women in England, was founded in 630AD. For more details contact FPHC, tel: 01303 850614, email: lah16@canterbury.ac.uk.
York Castle Museum's famous street has had a makeover and, for the first time, will have night and day and 'a stunning audio soundscape'. 30% more of the shops will be accessible to visitors. The Museum is in the centre of York, close to the Coppergate Shopping Centre, open 10am-5pm daily, cost £6.50 adult, £5 concessions, family tickets available. Website: www.yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk.
Glastonbury Abbey welcomes groups and is especially keen to attract local history groups. The abbey is set in 36 acres of tranquil parkland and is famous for its associations with the legendary King Arthur, whose bones 'were reburied in 1278 inside the Abbey church'. Throughout the spring and summer there is an actor who wanders the abbey explaining what life was like for the monks and the history of the abbey. Visiting groups should allow about two hours for their visit and from June-August food and refreshments are on sale. The abbey is only 50 yards from the town centre. To find out about arranging a group visit, including costs, contact: Francis Thyer, Deputy Custodian, The Abbey gatehouse, Magdalene Street, Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 9EL, tel: 01458 832267, email: info@galstonburyabbey.com, web: www.glastonburyabbey.com. Heritage Open Days 2006 will take place from Thursday 7th to Sunday 10th September, with more than 3,000 properties due to take part. This annual event has become a huge undertaking, involving over 26,000 volunteers trying to cope with nearly 900,000 visitors wanting to make the most of one of the best free invites in the heritage calendar. Nearer the time, look out for leaflets and press announcements publicising local openings near you. In the meantime, you can visit the official website: www.heritageopendays.org for more information. It is also a great source of free downloads, including how to organise and publicise your own events, which is full of common sense advice and other great tips which could be used for any event at any time of the year. Restoration work on war memorials for 2006 has been given nearly £100,000 in grants from English Heritage and the Wolfson Foundation in a scheme administered by the War Memorials Trust — the highest amount in the six year history of the scheme. The Trust says there are an estimated 65,000 war memorials in the United Kingdom and is committed to ensuring their conservation by providing advice and support about funding and services to help repair them. Contact: War Memorials Trust, 4 Lower Belgrave Street, London SW1W 0LA, tel: 020 7259 0403, email: info@warmemorials.org, web: www.warmemorials.org.
Dig
for Victory DVD. Subtitled Sowing the seeds of wartime success,
this hour long DVD mixes historic film from World War Two with the reminiscences
of men and women who either grew up during this period or were serving
in Women's Land Army. Whilst the documentary concentrates on the importance
of allotments and how the 'Dig for Victory' slogan came about, part
of the DVD recounts the experiences of those who served in the Women’s
Land Army. Several of those interviewed believe that their continuing
passion for gardening and allotments came about because they helped
on family allotments during the war. The DVD is a timely reminder that,
with global warming and ever increasing transportation costs, the importance
of growing as much food as we can in the British Isles should not be
overlooked. A good workmanlike documentary everyone will enjoy. Royalties
from the sale of the DVD go to the Royal Horticultural Society. |
28 April 2006 |
