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Spring 2009             Newsletter No 6

This Newsletter is distributed to the Timeline York Plus groups and to libraries in the Greater York area.

 

SOCIETY & GROUP ACTIVITIES

 

All Saints, Long Marston Parish History Group

The winter months have seen much activity in cataloguing additional archive material that continues to be made available to the Group. Interviews also continue with people with local connections who are providing valuable memories of the three villages.  Additions are also being made to the Records.

On selected dates between April and October, Archives and Records will again be on display in All Saints’ Church, Long Marston and in addition there will be special themed exhibitions.

For further information please telephone 01904 738456.

 

Bishopthorpe Local History Group

We are working on a booklet for publication later this year. It will be “snapshots” of 20 to 30 people ranging from Archbishops to butchers who are buried in Bishopthorpe’s two churchyards. Our working title is “Who’s Who Underground”.

We are continuing to put Bishopthorpe Parish Council minutes onto disc and to help local people with their house and family histories. Our oral history archive is being cross-referenced so that we can group together different experiences to get a wider picture of social and sporting activities in the village in the more recent past.

Contact: Diana Forrester on 01904 705396 and Linda Haywood at Linda@haywood.name

or the website at www.bishopthorpe.net/mt/history.

 

Cawood Castle Garth Group

This summer we are completing our archaeological investigations of the Castle Garth in the village.

From Tuesday 7th July to  Sunday 12th July 2009 from 10am-4pm we will be excavating 3 test pits on the Garth behind the Castle Gatehouse in Cawood.

If you would like to volunteer to help please contact Margaret Brearley on cawoodcgg@googlemail.com

or ring 01757 268666

Visit our web page http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/cawoodcastlegarth/

 

Derwent Archaeology Group

The Derwent Archaeology Group is planning to work on a complete non-invasive physical survey of the Scoreby Manor site which was initially researched by Stephen Moorhouse for the Friends of Hagg Wood. Recognising that we have most of the relevant equipment, but not necessarily the expertise to use it to best effect, Jon Kenny put us in touch with Frank Clough, who has kindly offered to give us initial technical training and then guidance as we perform the measurements on site. The timescale of the work will depend on the farmer's use of the fields for grazing and the weather conditions.

Robin Chivers, Chairman, Derwent Archaeology Group

Contact Kay Wheater: 01904 489407 for more information

 

Dringhouses Local History Group

The Group continues to thrive with over 100 members and attendances at meetings reaching 60. Our programme of events 2008-9 has been very well received, especially those events focussing on our local history. There is a tremendous appetite for this and the work of those who are prepared to research it in detail is much appreciated.

We continue to respond to requests for information and help and to receive archive material. We are maintaining our own photographic record of present-day changes. Our suggestion for an information board to be placed at the entrance to Dringhouses Cemetery (on the Tadcaster Road) has been accepted by the local Ward Committee and we have offered to help with the project.

Our meetings are advertised widely and new members are always welcome.

Telephone York 703970 for more information.

 

Dunnington Through the Ages

We had a very good local history day in the village hall in Autumn 2008 where those attending expressed delight and interest in the displays and information. Although numbers were less than for the last show, it was felt by those attending that they could see the displays in more comfort than at the previous event. Observations raised included the apparent reduction in interest in family history but more interest in the village houses whilst there seemed to be an enhanced response to pictorial subjects over written displays.

This year we plan to update our website and to start work on a book about the history of Dunnington with a general appeal as opposed to an academic work. However, more academic work will be continued by members of the group.

Contact  Marilyn Jones on 01904 488433 and drmarilynjones@aol.com

 

Friends of Hob Moor   

We are currently working on a new colour leaflet which will be available in libraries as well as on the website later this year. New sections on the website are: flowers & grasses; hedgerows; butterflies; plus some personal memories from the 1930/40s. We are planning, with York Council, to commission a study of Hob Moor's flora & fauna to complement the one done in 2000. It is intended to identify priorities for conservation. 

Details of events can be found at http://friendsofhobmoor.org.uk/Events

 

Friends of Hagg Wood   

FHW continue their monthly conservation working parties and are looking forward to a visit by CPRE (Campaign for the Protection of Rural England), who are planning a walk in the wood to see the bluebells followed by tea prepared by the Women’s Institute in May.

We have applied for a Breathing Places grant (final round) and will hear the result in April.  The hedgerow survey under the leadership of Barry Wright will begin as soon as the foliage appears on the trees and we hope to complete the whole Parish of Dunnington this year.  Phone Linda Maggs on York 489127 if you’d like to join us on this rewarding project (Friday afternoons).

 

Haxby Local History Group

We look forward to another year of activities and interests.

So far this year we have enjoyed a film show on our past heritage and a talk from one of our new members on St. Leonard’s Medieval Hospital.  Later, when the weather improves, we are planning visits to interesting historical sites (which will include a visit to a comfortable local hostelry).

As funds allow we are intending to place all our filed historical documentation on to DVD for posterity. In addition edited extracts will be recorded so that, with the right equipment, we can go to various venues in the community to project our own local film show.  As we had much success with our publication “Haxby Remembered” it is hoped that we will be able to reprint it for the many requests for copies.

For more information contact  Ian Mason, Secretary: ian@ianrmason.wanadoo.co.uk

 

Holgate Windmill Preservation Society

Internal brickwork of the mill has now been stabilised with lime mortar and lime wash paint, floorboards to all 4 floors renewed and metal railed fence surrounds the roundabout perimeter. The Millwright will complete the cap this Spring and Society members are making 200 shutters for the sails which will hopefully be in place in 2010.

Mill Open Days:  11am till 4pm, 2nd weekend in May then 1st weekend of each month June till October. £3 entry or join the Society.

Contact Jen Hay on 01904 792638

 

North Duffield Conservation and Local History Society

Work is continuing on the new history of North Duffield. We are now at the organising stage with 42 articles, about 53,000 words and 130 photographs to place in some sort of readable structure. More photographs and documents are being obtained all the time in response to our appeal last year.

We are in process of setting up an archaeological survey on fields north, west and south of the village to examine Iron Age features shown in the Cambridge University Aerial Photographic Survey. We recently sited three bat roosting boxes (aimed at Pipestrels) in a field by a dyke on the edge of the village.

Contact: Tony Stevens 01757 288941

 

Pocklington and District Local History Group

The Group has now been formed for two years. In this time we have held two exhibitions, had two full winter programmes of talks and workshops. Some of the best evenings are our members’ talks nights when we set 3 members the task of researching a topic and giving a 20 minute talk. We have had a group researching the history of women in Pocklington and they have unearthed some very interesting facts. All of our publication effort has been put into developing our local history website. http://www.pocklingtonhistory.com We have tried to make it as visually interesting as possible and now that a Forum has been added we are taking contributions of family and local history research from right around the world. We have also started to make local tours of the town to increase our bank balance and this has been complemented by the publication of a booklet “A Pocklington History & Heritage Trail” which we sell for £3.00. We do not have an official membership but so far 80 people have affiliated with us. All income is from £2 on the door when a speaker is booked. We have recently applied for a Lottery grant to buy equipment such as a laptop and a projector.

Contact: Andrew Sefton asefton@gmail.com

 

Poppleton History Society

We plan to conduct further landscape survey work on the Scheduled Ancient Monument site and this will be coupled with an archaeological and historical weekend in October centred on the Tithe Barn.

The History Society continues its successful monthly presentations between October and May each year. Presentations start at 7.30pm, at the Methodist Church Hall on the Green in Upper Poppleton on the first Wednesday of each month. For further details contact 01904 338610.

We have a History Society website as a subsection of the www.poppleton.net website.

 

South Ainsty Archaeological and History Society

We are continuing our research for a book on the history of Copmanthorpe; work has just begun on editing it, but we would still love to hear from anyone who has old photos, newspaper articles or any other documents relating to the history of the village (contact Phil on 01943 600447). We have recently done some geophysics and fieldwalking on the Knights Templar field at Copmanthorpe, with promising results. Elizabeth Smith will be giving a talk about the Knavesmire on Thursday 14 May at 7.30pm in Acaster Malbis Memorial Hall (small charge on the door). If anyone would like further information about this or the society in general, please telephone York 744263 or 705478.

 

Stillingfleet Chroniclers

We are continuing with our housing survey of the village and have planned our first film show of this work in the village hall on April 18th, along with afternoon tea.

After several fund raising events last year, we have managed to buy our own multi-media projector and this will be used for the first time on April 18th.  We have also acquired a 6ft wall-mounted projector screen from the Selby FreeCycle Group.

Jocelyn Appleyard  01904 728484       J.Appleyard@tesco.net

Yvonne Clarke        01904 728877       etyvonne.clarke@lineone.net

 

Stockton and Hopgrove Local History Group.

We have continued our researches into the history of our village in every conceivable area and our findings are being recorded for later generations. The Village Book project is progressing and this is involving many members not only of our Group but also other villagers researching and writing for selected book chapters. We are moving towards a grant application to provide funds for a lap-top computer.

We have found supportive written evidence regarding the long time debate about the Roman Road running through Stockton.

Contact: Terry Briggs:Tel. 01904 400013 or Steve Burton: Tel. 01904 400066

 

Strensall Local History Group

The project investigating the history of Church Lane and its buildings has been completed and the report prepared. Consideration is being given to publishing the report to a wider audience. We have had two very interesting presentations recently; the first was given by Russell Marwood on the Battle of Marston Moor and the siege of York, whilst the second by Peter Braithwaite described his family history research into the life of his grandfather. Both talks are highly recommended. The last three events of this session are being finalised and details will appear on our wiki page in due course.

For more information contact: 01904 794540 or 01904 490413

 

Tang Hall Local History Group

Meetings are held from 10am to noon on the third Thursday of each month, except August, in St Aelred's Community Centre, Fifth Avenue.  We usually have a guest speaker, and the talk is often illustrated with slides, and these cover a variety of interesting topics.

Occasionally we organise a session where some of our own material is displayed and members bring along photographs or items of memorabilia.

There are usually between forty and fifty people attending each meeting and visitors are always welcome.  In autumn we celebrate our tenth anniversary and plan to hold an open day in October.

Enquiries to Jane Burrows, tel: 01904 345942 or Wendy Simmons, tel: 01904 410982

 

York Young Archaeologists’ Club

We meet at the Yorkshire Museum, or out at a particular site nearby, on the second Saturday of the month.

Contact:  Helen Bachelor on email yorkyac@yahoo.com

 

Other Groups’ Contact Details

Acomb Local History Group Contact:  John Terry  01904 798956

Bishop Wilton Local History Group  Contact:  M & K Pratt  pr@bdub.co.uk

Friends of Skipwith Common  Contact: Brian Elsey  01757 288939

Hungate Excavation (Hungate Community Archaeology Group)  Contact:  Liddy Dalesman 01904 332784

Naburn Local History Group  Contact: Iris Wells [iriswells@btinternet.com]

Skelton Local History Group  Contact: Nancy Spratt 01904 470507

 

MEETINGS SCHEDULE

Timeline York Plus holds regular meetings hosted each time by one of the member groups.

The next meeting is scheduled for 2.15 pm on 19 September 2009. The meeting will be hosted by Dringhouses Local History Group at St Edward’s Church Hall, Tadcaster Road.

 

THE COMMUNITY ARCHAEOLOGIST

Dr. Jon Kenny is the Greater York Community Archaeologist. His e-mail is:  jkenny@yorkat.co.uk. Also make contact via: the York Archaeological Trust at 47 Aldwark, York: Tel. 01904 663035.

Jon maintains a WIKI website (http://yorkcommunityarchaeology.pbwiki.com) on behalf of Timeline York Plus, giving details of archaeological activities in the Greater York area. It also includes more news of the Groups in this Newsletter.

 

This newsletter has been edited by Elizabeth Smith and Ted Kendall. Comments and enquiries may be sent to the various Groups’ contacts where given, or to Ted Kendall at: gande.kendall@sky.com or telephone 01904 338610.

 

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