Christmas Quiz
By popular demand, this has now become an annual event. A prize for the winning team. You don’t need to have a team to come to this, just turn up and we arrange teams on the night – but you will need to think of a good name ! Nibbles (sausage rolls, mince pies etc) and drinks (mulled wine etc) will be provided. There will be a raffle as usual. If you have any items for the raffle, please either let me know, especially if it needs collecting, or bring on the night. My number is 01628 481792 (Ann)
Monday 7 December 8 p.m. Garden Room, Liston Hall
Historic Towns Project Meeting
Historic Towns Project – discussion of the Report for Marlow.
Members Update Show and Tell and Social Evening
An invitation to members and friends to bring anything they have which might be of interest to others to discuss and/or display. A chance to see the video of the recent training days at Happy Valley. A chance to meet other members, hopefully new members will come to this to meet the rest of us. Any queries about the evening, please give a call to Gerry on 01628 472126
The River Thames from Henley to Windsor
Richard Poad has been Chairman of the Maidenhead Heritage Centre for the past 15 years and has been the driving force behind the project. The Centre has recently acquired a permanent home in Maidenhead. He was also awarded an MBE for services to the heritage of Maidenhead. He is a retired airline pilot and has owned a narrow boat for 32 years so he knows the waterways intimately.
Richard took us along the river by means of photos and paintings and many interesting snippets of informa- tion relating to all the villages/towns we passed, however he started his talk by telling us of the current exhibition at the heritage centre “Buried Treasure the Archaeology of the Maidenhead Area” which displays many archaeological finds around the Maidenhead area including stone axes and bronze age swords.
The armchair “tour” commenced at Henley for this ride down the river with pictures from 100 years ago, he explained that the banks were straightened out for the Regatta so it was a straight run from Temple Island. Hambledon is next up and we were asked to think about what came first: the weir, the mill or the lock. On to Medmenham Abbey, then Harleyford – the house, which is now offices was designed by Robert Taylor, who also designed Maidenhead Bridge, then to Temple Lock, showing the footbridge and then an aerial shot taken in 2003 of the floods.
Bisham Church was very recognizable as was Marlow Bridge and the plaques fixed below the bridge “sigil de desbro 1860”. This is apparently the date the original wooden beams of the bridge were replaced with steel. Another aerial shot, this time of the Mar- low Mill area which Richard told us ground rape seed in the 18th century. The flash lock was called the Lion’s Mouth with the winch at the end of St Peter’s Street.
On to Quarrywood Hall and further to Bourne End, the photo showing the sailing club. I did not know there was an ‘international airport’ behind the Quarry Hotel, at Cockmarsh. On to Cookham and Swan Upping, with a painting by Stanley Spencer which Richard told us was painted in two halves, part before and part after the war and the styles are noticeably different. Richard then showed us a picture of Spring Cottage, on the river on the Cliveden estate, which was built as a tea house by the Duchess of Sutherland who entertained Queen Victoria. 100 years later Spring Cottage was rented by Stephen Ward, the osteopath at the centre of the Profumo affair.
On to Maidenhead Bridge and the Turner painting featuring Brunel’s railway bridge, also to Bray showing the George before it became the Waterside. The aerial view of Dorney Rowing Lake was particularly interesting as it showed its relation to the Jubilee River. We then went to Monkey Island, Boveney and finished at Windsor. Richard showed us three different paintings of the castle, one fairly accurate one with extra turrets and one pure Disney. This is where we disembarked from our “tour”.
It made me stop and think again how much we have on our doorstep that I take for granted and visitors come from miles to stay and visit.
Thank you Richard for reminding us of our local heritage.
Richard had on sale, for the benefit of the Heritage Centre, maps and books, one of which was a history of the Berkshire Archaeological Research Group by Janet Firth. Richard’s talk fee also goes to support the Centre.
Normal opening is Tuesdays to Saturdays 10am to 4pm, also on the 2nd Sunday of each month, 10am to 12.30pm (Farmers’ Market Day) 01628 780555 email is info@maidenheadheritage.org.uk. Web site is www.maidenheadheritage.org.uk
Richard also gives talks on other subjects.
Chiltern Woodlands Project Happy Valley Walk
As part of the English Heritage Open Days weekend activities, the Chiltern Woodlands Special Trees & Woods project team suggested a walk round Happy Valley and the WW1 training trenches in Pullingshill wood to be led by AIM.
So, on Sunday 13th September Gerry Platten and I waited at the entrance to Happy Valley. 5 interested people arrived, including a trainee arborist (specialist in trees) from Sandhurst and a couple from near Twyford who were interested in WW1 history and local flora and fauna.
As we travelled, we explained the work which AIM has done in Happy Valley with its alleged history of a Roman vineyard, possible crop marks and other interesting finds. On entering the wooded area some quite old trees were seen, including an infected chestnut tree, a magnificent old oak tree and a splendidly tall cherry tree.
Several lines of trees beside the footpath suggest that this may have be ancient track and part of a boundary feature between farmland, a common or woodland. (The diameter of the oak tree was measured and its age estimated at about 160 years. The calculation is: – circumference of tree measured about 2m above ground in inches is its age in years, roughly!). Other boundary banks and possible sawpits were noticed.
We travelled though the trenches demonstrating all the various features and discussing the events surrounding their construction. Travelling back along the path to Bovingdon Green, where the soldiers’ camp was built, we noticed several very old concrete fence posts showing where the boundary of the camp could have been.
Several circular earthworks in Davenport Wood were seen – these may be stock enclosures relating to the original Marlow Common.
It was a fascinating day even though I cannot remember the number of different species which we saw! Thanks to all for making it well worthwhile.
Dave Greenwood
Happy Valley Dig Summer 2009
As part of an ongoing investigation into activity in Happy Valley, Marlow, we are conducting an exploratory excavation. Volunteers and AiM members have been working hard for the last two Sundays and we envisage the dig taking at least two more Sundays.
Part of AiM’s purpose is to educate and train, so we welcome even novice diggers to come along and assist.
Happy Valley is near Beechwood Drive (off the Henley Road and at the junction between the Henley Road and Pound Lane). We meet at 10am and aim to finish at about 12:30 depending on the weather and the willingness of the diggers!
For more information contact John Laker, our Fieldwork Co-Ordinator, on 01628 481792
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Discovering the Iron Age
The Bucks County Archaeologist, Sandy Kidd is coming to give us an interactive talk on the Iron Age. The talk is a break from our normal pattern of talks and is aimed at the younger archaeology enthusiast as well as adults. Therefore the start time for this talk will be earlier than normal, at 7.30pm
Historic Towns Project
To assist co-ordinator David Green with his efforts on the Marlow section of the Historic Towns Project, we will be inviting both local photographers and collectors of photographs in an attempt to accumulate a selection of new and older photographs that will give an accurate feel for the Town of Marlow. So why not come along to see the pictorial records of the Town and, if you have any of your own, please bring them along too. We will gather in the Garden Room, Liston Hall, Liston Road, Marlow at 8.00pm.
Happy Valley Walk
Walk around Happy Valley, Marlow, in association with the Chiltern Woodlands Project.
The walk will cover Happy Valley and the area including the Pullingshill Wood World War 1 trenches, and will be guided by John Laker and other members of AiM.
Archaeology within Wycombe District
Archaeology in Marlow are going to be presenting a talk to Wycombe Arts Festival
