Events

"A Passion for Stratford and Warwickshire Life - Enid and Neville Usher" by Jim Ranahan, Cataloguing Archivist at Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

Join Jim Ranahan, cataloguing archivist at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, for a fascinating exploration of the Usher siblings. Enid and Neville Usher were long time residents of Stratford-upon-Avon, until Enid's untimely death in 1998 and Neville's in 2021.  They immersed themselves in Stratford and Warwickshire life, not least through their business, the Stratford Bookshop.  Both were strong supporters of local heritage, working with the Stratford Society and for Neville, harnessing his accounting and organisational skills over many years for Warwickshire Local History Society.  In their different ways and through their varied interests, Enid and Neville Usher demonstrated a passion for life across the County.  This passion is reflected in the Papers of Enid and Neville Usher which, along with records relating to the Stratford Bookshop are cared for by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

Jim Ranahan is cataloguing archivist at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.  He strives to ensure the collections reflect the lived experience of local people, past and present.  He is also a member of WLHS and you may remember his recent tenure as Lectures Secretary.

Image: Neville Usher, courtesy of Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

The Lady Katherine Leveson Foundation, Temple Balsall.  1.30 pm to 5 pm. 

We will meet at the Old Hall Temple Balsall, next to St Mary’s Church, at 1.30 pm where we will join WLHS member and Temple Balsall tour guide, Marion Keeley.  We will take a guided tour of the 12th century Old Hall at Temple Balsall, once the senior court of the Knights Templar in Warwickshire, and the adjacent church of St Mary’s.

We’ll also discover the legacy of Lady Katherine Leveson (d. 1674), daughter of Sir Robert Dudley, who founded two lasting charitable institutions: the Almshouses, now the Lady Katherine Housing & Care Home, and the Lady Katherine Leveson Primary School.

Refreshments are included in the price.  

We can accommodate up to 40 people on this event.  The first group will start at 1.30 pm with the guided tour and finish at approximately 3.30 pm, after refreshments.  If we get more than 20 people we will run a second tour which will start at 3 pm with refreshments, followed by the tour, finishing at approximately 5 pm.  There is space on the booking form to request a particular tour time and I will accommodate your request where possible.

Accessibility and toilets

There is ample parking on site.  Disabled parking, closer to the site, is also available.  Toilets, including an accessible toilet, are available at the Old Hall.  The Old Hall is accessible and there is alternative, wheelchair friendly, access to St Mary’s Church.

Dogs

Assistance dogs only.

Transport and parking

Full details will be provided with confirmation of your booking.  There is ample free parking.  Bus links are not good, but a taxi could be taken from Berkswell railway station, if you are coming by public transport.

Price

The price for this trip is £18 for members and associate members, £20 for non members.  This price includes refreshments. 

Important: I am also looking for some members to help serve hot drinks and refreshments during the afternoon and set up OR clear away afterwards (no furniture moving).  You will still get the chance to experience the full guided tour and will have a short break in which to enjoy the refreshments.  In return, you can attend for the price of just £9! Please either indicate on the booking form, or email me, if you can help out in this way. I have a limited number of tickets at this price so I would advise checking with me before you make payment.

Please book by 22nd Septmber.  There are 40 places on this tour.  You can either print off the booking form and return it to me (address on booking form) or pay by BACS and email me with your booking request.  BACS payments to Acct Name: Warwickshire Local History Society, Acct. No. 00010015 Sort code: 40-52-40, Account type: Business: use YOUR SURNAME as reference please. 

Please note it is not always possible to provide a refund in the event of non attendance.  This event will go ahead except in extreme weather conditions so please dress appropriately.

A History of Lawn Tennis in Leamington Spa by Susan Hopcraft.

How lawn tennis first came to the town around 1872 and its evolution.

Leamington has often been quoted as the birthplace of lawn tennis in 1872. To mark the 150th anniversary, Leamington tennis enthusiast Susan Hopcraft investigates the town’s claim to be the roots of this truly global sport.  She will explain the people who shaped the sport originally and trace the clubs, the tournaments, the world events and social influences on the sport in the town over 150 years, also taking detours via croquet and squash.

The Village of Frankton c. 1660 - 1680, by Peter Mason.

Join Peter Mason, author of The Two Manors of Frankton, for a fascinating insight into the people of the village of Frankton, as revealed through documentary sources.

Discover the lives not only of the gentry, but also of the ordinary residents of this quiet Warwickshire village.

Peter will explore records from 1660 to 1680, including: taxes, wills and inventories, the church register, legal actions concerning land usage and ownership and other court reports. 

Christmas Outing to Ragley Hall near Alcester, 2 pm to 5 pm

As the ancestral home of the 9th Marquess & Marchioness of Hertford, Ragley Hall is steeped in a remarkable family history.  Enjoy an exclusive one hour guided tour of the State Rooms and learn about the estate’s colourful history, starting with the initial design process by architect Robert Hooke in 1860. Guests can also explore the gardens, stables and carriage collection at their own leisure.  Refreshments (tea, coffee and biscuits upon arrival) included in the price.

We will meet at Ragley Hall, near Alcester, B49 5NJ from 1.45 pm.

Parking/travelling to Ragley Hall

There is ample free parking on site.   Ragley Hall is on local bus routes.  The nearest train stations are Stratford on Avon or Evesham (about 8 to 10 miles away).

Accessibility and toilets

Everywhere on the tour is accessible and there is a lift.  There are toilets. 

Refreshments

The price of your ticket includes tea, coffee and biscuits upon arrival only, as Ragley Hall do not have full catering facilities on site.  However, if you wish to book somewhere nearby, either before or after the event, Hillers Farm Shop and Café, or Arrow Mill, are both nearby and have been recommended by Ragley Hall staff.

Dogs

Assistance dogs only.

A reminder email will be sent about a week before the outing.

Please note it is not always possible to provide a refund in the event of non attendance.

This event will go ahead except in extreme weather conditions so please dress appropriately.

There are 50 places on this tour.  Price £19 members, £21 non members.  Please see the booking form for more details.  You can either print off the booking form and return it to me (address on booking form) or pay by BACS and email me with your booking request.  BACS payments to Acct Name: Warwickshire Local History Society, Acct. No. 00010015 Sort code: 40-52-40, Account type: Business: use YOUR SURNAME as reference please. 

Women at the Lord Leycester Hospital, by Dr Heidi Meyer, Master, Lord Leycester Hospital, Warwick. 

NB: this is an online meeting only, via Zoom, commencing at 3 pm.

Researches and Resources in Kineton Local History, by David Freke and Colin Such

The Bracebridges in Warwickshire by Yvonne Stone.

Charles Jennens and his family of Nether Whitacre by Rita Poulson.

This meeting will be preceded by the AGM at 7.15 pm

Shipston on Stour guided history walk and visit to Shipston Museum.    

Nearly 30 of us braved the heat to join historian and Shipston Museum trustee Martin Russell on a history walk around Shipston.  Some of you may remember Martin as he was our guide on the Edgehill Battlefield event a couple of years ago.  We learnt about Shipston-on-Stour’s history, which began in prehistoric times. Following light refreshments at the Black Horse, we finished the afternoon by visiting Shipston Museum, which showcases artefacts from Shipston and surrounding villages from prehistory to post medieval times. 

Arbury Hall, Nuneaton.  2 pm to 5 pm.  

Nearly 50 of us enjoyed a guided tour of Arbury Hall.  This beautiful Elizabethan mansion house was transformed into the Gothic style by Sir Roger Newdigate during the second half of the 18th century, and featured in George Eliot's novels as Cheverel Manor.  All 3 tour guides were excellent and we were fortunate to have Sheila Woolf, WLHS member, as one of them.  After the tour we had a delicious cream team in the onsite tea rooms and were then free to explore the 18th century landscaped gardens at our own pace. A lovely afternoon.

Winterbourne House, Birmingham. 10.30 am to 2 pm.

30 of us enjoyed a guided tour of Winterbourne’s seven acres of beautiful botanical gardens followed by the opportunity to explore this Edwardian Arts and Crafts house at our own pace. 

We explored the woodland walk, strolled through the hazelnut tunnel and crossed the 1930’s Japanese Bridge in this hidden gem of a garden.  The house was built for John Nettlefold, a pioneer of early housing reform in Birmingham at a time when the city had a serious lack of decent homes for working people, and the house contains interesting exhibitions about this, as well as being a light and airy example of an Arts and Crafts house.

'Caring for the Community: The Leigh Family's Legacy' by Sheila Woolf

Join Sheila Woolf, Chair of the Stoneleigh History Society, as she delves into the Leigh family's enduring commitment to Stoneleigh's welfare. From Sir Thomas Leigh's 16th-century arrival to the Second World War, the Leighs significantly influenced village life, helping to shape institutions like the church, almshouses, school, club, inn, and even a workhouse. Drawing from the Leighs' detailed notebooks, this talk offers unique insights into the villagers' lives and their connection to the "big house."

This talk will follow a short AGM, starting at 7.15 pm.

Image: Thomas, Lord Leigh of Stoneleigh (1594 - 1671) courtesy of Lamport Hall

'Discovering Harbury's Heritage' by Bill Timson, Chair of Harbury Heritage Centre

Join us as Bill Timson, Chair of Harbury Heritage Centre, shares the challenges and triumphs of establishing the Harbury Heritage Centre, a hub dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of Harbury village. Find out about the fascinating stories and events that shaped Harbury, hear about the recently published book, Life in Victorian Harbury, and understand how the Heritage Centre aims to connect with all ages through events, fundraising, and outreach.

'Life in Roman Alcester', by Alan Godfrey

We enjoyed Alan Godfrey, Chair of Alcester and District Local History Society's talk on “Life in Roman Alcester”. Alcester became a small Roman town, dating from the Roman invasion of AD 46 when a fort was built on a hilltop to the south of the town, to defend the river crossing. Two Roman roads crossed in Alcester; the Icknield Street running north to south connecting Lichfield with Cirencester, and the Salt Way linking Droitwich with the Fosse Way. The town was later protected by walls and gates, and the earlier fort was abandoned.

'Three Warwickshire Parish Churches' by Dr John Hunt (online meeting).

'Are cemeteries everywhere enclosed, churches properly built and furnished and sacred vessels properly guarded?' Researching parish churches in the western midlands.

Over 60 of us enjoyed this online talk, given by Dr Hunt, as he looked at the history of three Warwickshire Parish Churches: Berkswell, Ansley and Tysoe.  He explored themes from the article he wrote for WLHS’s Warwickshire History Journal recently, which investigated the origins, settlements, structural history and patrons of these three churches.  Dr Hunt  also highlighted work he has undertaken elsewhere in the West Midlands.

Lord Leycester Hospital, Warwick.  

Nearly 50 of us enjoyed visiting this medieval treasure in the heart of Warwick and learning about its history on a guided tour with the brethren from the Lord Leycester Hospital.  Following the building of the original chapel, in 1123, the medieval Guilds built the half-timbered buildings as a centre to govern the town, house travellers and provide support to the deserving poor. In 1571 Robert Dudley, Queen Elizabeth I’s favoured courtier, established a community of Master and Brethren in the old Guild buildings.  Today the Hospital is run by the Master, a retired military officer, and still houses ex-servicemen and their wives.

The Gunpowder Plot in the Midlands, by Mairi Macdonald

Sutton Park: The origins, components and afterlife of a medieval deer park, by Mike Hodder

All Saints Church, Burton Dassett 2 pm to 5 pm

60 of us joined Dr Stephen Wass for a talk in the beautiful surroundings of All Saints Church, Burton Dassett, a stunning church with medieval wall paintings.  We heard about the historic background to the shrunken village and church of Burton Dassett before Stephen focused on the archaeological excavations in the graveyard and 'village green' outside the churchyard wall together with the recording and re-interpretation of the 'holy well'. After delicious refreshments, Stephen took us around the outside of the church and there was an optional walk up to the nearby beacon. A big thank you to the All Saints' Church team for the afternoon.

Two Newdigate Ladies, by David Paterson

Two members of the Newdigate family owners of the Arbury estate, a century apart. Lady Elizabeth (1683-1765) and Mrs Maria Newdigate shared two attributes. Each when chatelaine of the estate during the minority of their sons successfully managed the estate following less good management by male predecessors. They had an enlightened approach to the education of children living on the estate. Lady Elizabeth founded the Chilvers Coton Charity School for thirty poor children. A century later Maria supported both this school and the one at Astley. The difference in their titles reflected the failure of the direct male succession within the family and therefore the extinguishing of the baronetcy. Maria probably influenced two other significant women: her niece Jessie Boucherett, an early campaigner for women’s’ rights and the daughter of Robert Evans, the excellent land agent. Marian Evans’s time exploring the Arbury library helped her to develop her literary career as George Eliot.