Chairmaking in the Chilterns
Although it was a cold, wet day and evening there was a good attendance for Dr Catherine Grigg’s talk entitled “Chairmaking in the Chilterns.” Catherine is the Collections Officer at Wycombe Museum (formally known as the Chair Museum).
The audience was introduced to various chair designs, depending on the mode of construction, and then concentrated on Windsor Chairs, the style that made the Lower Chilterns famous. A Windsor chair can be described as a stool with a back and, sometimes, arm-rests, and where all of the main parts fit into holes bored or cut into the seat.
The style was first recorded in the 1720’s; and was made in many parts of the country, East Anglia, The North-East, Wales and the Chilterns. These early specimens were made by individual craftsmen, from selected timbers and were made for the wealthy.
As working conditions and standards of living improved in the mid 1800’s there was an ever increasing demand for economically priced chairs for home and commercial use. The chalk hills of the Chilterns had a ready supply of Beech, cheap and easily workable on simple pole lathes in the “green”, (i.e. newly felled and split). Chair turners set up camps all over the local woods, producing chair parts by the thousand. Legs, spindles and stretchers and all the round parts were produced by these men who later became known as the Bodgers. And “No,” Catherine said, the word ”bodge” doesn’t come from Bodger – it was probably the other way around as “Bodger” only dates from the early 20th Century.
Catherine also mentioned that High Wycombe had the first fire brigade in Bucks – probably because of all the flammable wood and glue! The manufacturers produced the elm seats, shaped the chair backs and arms, often using steam to make the timber more pliable, and shaved and fretted other parts such as the splats. The parts were
then assembled into finished chairs; stained, polished and finished ready for sale.
Catherine’s talk and slides highlighted the tools used by chairmakers, the woods used and the similarities and differences that help to give clues as to where a chair was produced. Subtle changes in the shape or detail of component parts, the method by which pieces are fixed into their sockets and the overall design, all help to identify a chair. Local chairs are less ornate than many others, with slender, elegant legs and with the centre piece in
the back made in one piece also, where the back hoop fits into the seat. If it tapers it isn’t local, if it doesn’t it
probably is!
Windsor chairs remained popular as mass produced items for a hundred years, but by the 1950’s, mechanisation replaced hand craftsmanship. Timber and low-cost furniture were imported and the Bodger was gone from a furniture industry that was, itself, struggling for survival. Today, there does seem to be a renewed interest in wooden chairs and the Windsors are still produced by a few specialist master craftsmen – long-lasting, individual,
traditionally made but costly.
Warren Wood Investigation Update
Following on from our survey work as part of the R.O.M.A.D.A.M. Project at Warren Wood, we started excavations on Sunday 14th of February at 10 a.m. We intend to work on alternate Sundays until the work is completed. We will visit the site every two weeks (weather permitting) continuing on the 28th February, 14th and 28th March, etc.
Our plan is to excavate eight test pits measuring one metre by one metre. Four of these pits will be in the inner enclosure and four in the outer enclosure.
Although many archaeological techniques will be employed on the site, our main task is to dig through the various contexts/levels, recording them and the ‘finds’ unearthed as we go. As with all AIM excavations, training will be given to those with little or no experience in order to acquaint them with ‘best practice’ to be employed on site to achieve our objectives. Contact is John Laker 01628 481792 or johnlaker@thamesinternet.com
Newsletter – June 2010
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Newsletter December 2009
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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
Newsletter October 2009
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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
