Christmas Treat
Christmas Treat 2017: Pershore Abbey
For 2017’s Christmas Treat we travelled to Pershore Abbey. Despite its odd shape a remarkable building now but when under Benedictine control it must have seemed incontrovertible proof of the power of God on whose behalf such a magnificent building had been built. Originally twice as long and with its monastic buildings still intact and worship of God day and night, it would appear set for eternity. The unusual appearance today is because after the dissolution the townspeople raised £400 for purchase and convert the abbey to their parish church but as the nave was in grave need of repair they took the unusual step of taking over the quire and transept, hence the building’s shape.
On arrival, after coffee – after all, it is a National Trust trip! – and before our guided tour of the Abbey’s main features, we were given a resumé of its history. In such places one is often told of the odd disaster but Pershore seems to have suffered more than most. Rarely a century passed without a major catastrophe. Late tenth century: two thirds of their lands (and thereby revenue) seized, never to be returned. Eleventh century: two serious fires and an earthquake. Thirteenth century: church and tower destroyed by fire then another fire destroys the new tower plus the quire roof although not all doom as the ploughshare stone vaulted ceilings then installed are beautiful. By the time of the Dissolution only fourteen monks and the abbot remained, all pensioned off. Seventeenth century: collapse of north transept then gradual decline under regime of make do and mend until in 1861 when the east parapet blew off in a gale. Funds were raised, George Gilbert Scott called in as architect and highlights such as the windows depicting the Abbey’s history were installed. (Contributing factors to all these collapses was the combination of no foundations, soggy land and thus movement. As we visited they were preparing for another buttress to protect the North East corner.)
A hangover of the land seizure meant Westminster Abbey had interest in the town. In 1170 they built St Andrews church for their own tenants and it was not until 1949 that the two parishes were merged, St Andrews now being the parish centre.
Lunch was at The Wood Norton Hotel near Evesham. I knew it as the BBC engineering place but the building had a much more interesting past. A stately home, built in Victorian times in a secluded south facing spot, for a while it was the home of Prince Philippe, Duke of Orleans, the last pretender to the throne of France. All round the public rooms were pictures of that time when members of the great and the good were regular visitors. A fascinating and completely unexpected treat.
Our start to the run up towards Christmas has maintained its reputation in providing an interesting place to visit, an interesting hotel/restaurant and meal. As usual our thanks to Sheelah for her ability to find something special and to manage the visit and us so well.
Katey Fletcher
Annual Dinner
Annual Dinner, 6 October 2017
The Centre’s 28th Annual Dinner proved popular, and 101 members attended. It was held at the Granary Hotel & Restaurant, near Kidderminster. We were well looked after, and enjoyed a good meal in comfortable and hospitable surroundings. It was another happy social occasion.
The guest speaker was Shelagh Johnston whose talk was entitled Growing up with The Beatles. Shelagh is a native of Liverpool, studied at the city’s university, and during her formative years worked for Brian Epstein, the Beatles’ manager. Shelagh’s mother and Paul McCartney’s mother worked together as midwives, and she got to know both Paul and fellow Beatle John Lennon. She effectively ran the Beatles Fan Club. Shelagh took her audience back to the 1960s with her gentle reminiscences and observations. She represented Yoko Ono as an advisor to the National Trust on the restoration and refurbishment of Mendips, the childhood home of John Lennon. Paul McCartney’s home, 20 Forthlin Road, is also in the care of the Trust. Shelagh encouraged her audience to visit the Trust’s Merseyside properties.
We were reminded how Liverpool has been transformed in recent years, and the Beatles’ legacy is an important part of the story.
Chris Fonteyn