WHITCHURCH
Correspondent: Liz Miles milesofcorse@aol.com
Special Christmas Services in St Dubricius
December 15th 11am Communion with Carols
December 22nd 11am Christingle and Crib Service
December 24th 11pm Christmas Eve Communion
The Taize Services Friday 13th December and 10th January at 6pm.
Thursdays 10am Holy Communion
will be held weekly as usual but
14 please note there will be no service
on 12th December or 26th December.
Whitchurch School Christmas Production for Senior Citizens on Thursday 12th December 11am Please phone Mrs Jones on 01600 890571 to book before 6th December
Aisle Community Lunch will be at
St Dubricius on December 9th and January13th and 27th.The meals are cooked by Woods of Whitchurch. Come and join us. To book, ring 01600 890397.
Good Neighbour Coffee morning
is at the Memorial Hall from 10.30 to 12noon on December 4th , January 8th and January 22nd. Do drop in for coffee and a chat.
December 18th will be The Good Neighbour Christmas Tea at 3pm
Tea and Chat for Knitters and Natterers is held in the Aisle at St Dubricius on Thursdays from 2 – 4pm. This is open to all and a warm welcome awaits you.
Whitchurch Floral Society
Wednesday 11th December Christmas Lunch 12, for 12.30 at The Loughpool, Sellack. Details from Wendy Cogger 01600 890141. No Meeting in January.
Sticky Little Fingers, a morning for parents and pre-school children, each Tuesday at the Memorial Hall starting at 10.00am. Christmas Party with Santa Tuesday 17th December. No meeting on 24th December or 31st December. Restart on Tuesday 7th January. More details from Sue 890981.
Bingo December 3rd at the Old Court, 7 for 7.30pm. Please note there will be NO BINGO in January
MEMORIAL HALL ACTIVITIES Jazz, on Friday December 6th. We welcome back Hot Fingers . Always a very popular act, this is sure to be a hot ticket! Ring Colin 890640 to book, £17.50 pp includes a light supper.
Guys and Dolls January Flicks, with a difference! On Friday January 17th it will be a rather special evening. We are showing the original 1955 musical Guys and Dolls starring Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Jean Simmons and featuring well known musical numbers ( Luck be a Lady, Sit down you’re rocking the boat, If I were a bell).
Join us for what promises to be a great evening’s entertainment. You will need a secret password on the door ( check the Hall or Arts Alive websites) and the bar will be well stocked with irn bru , blackcurrant squash , and orange juice in line with the “illegal “nature of the scenario
(a gambling den) !! We hope you will embrace the “spirit” of the evening, why not wear 1950’s dress? Don’t miss this rollicking tale. Doors open 7pm for bar, film starts at 7.30pm £5 entry. Cuban themed snacks will be available. Miss it, miss out…
Short Mat Bowls in the hall
on Mondays 6.00 – 8.45pm and Thursdays 1.45 -4.30pm. NB Time changes.
Adult ballet classes Silver Swans
1st class for any age and ability including those with illness or disability.
2nd class for good mobility and fitness. No ballet experience required. A gentle fun class for fitness and
grace. Ladies and gents both most welcome. Royal Academy of Dance registered teacher. Wednesdays 9:45/10:30am
Whitchurch Memorial Hall
Nina Salmon 07974117701 nina@monnowballet.co.uk www.monnowballet.co.uk https://www.royalacademyofdance. org/silverswans/
Karate Thursdays 7 to 8pm Ring David Bevan 01291 690267
Whitchurch and Ganarew Local History Society Next Business Meeting – Saturday 7th December 10am at Old Court Hotel where we would love to welcome potential new members.
I am writing this after an awful day of rain and wondering should we really hold our talk on “Forgotten Gadgets” tomorrow evening but I guess the show must go on. This leads me nicely to our programme for next year. January 1st onwards you should be able to pick up a leaflet detailing the society’s plans, talks, visits and exhibition covering the whole of 2020. This will make it easier for our planning and anyone who may wish to participate. They will be readily available from Woods, Memorial Hall and the Spar to name but a few.
Our 2020 calendar was finally on sale from beginning November and at £5.50 sales are doing well. This provides a much needed boost to our funds which are used for various projects such as our last two exhibitions. The calendars will be around until end of January for late buyers. Just to say all photos were
taken within the parish and include some animals, plants and snowy scenes. Apologies to anyone whose photo didn’t make it this time. Next year we may do one entitled “Cute animals” but more of that in the programme.
Hopefully next year will see the Symonds Yat West phone box refurbished in time for the summer months. We are always happy to welcome new members and contact details can be found on the website, wagshistory.com or telephone Pat 01600 891326.
History of St. Dubricius Church
The parish church is one of the oldest in the Deanery of Ross and Archenfield; Its foundations date from the 9th century and the oldest part goes back to the 13th century.
The church is in the Decorated style of architecture with walls of local sandstone rubble and ashlar and the roof of stone slates.
The bowl of the font is Norman in origin, the lower edge being cut away to octagonal form to fit a 14th or 15th century stem with a square base. The church was enlarged in Victorian times.
Outstanding examples of locally-produced needlecraft and tapestries decorate the church.
St. Dubricius lived in Herefordshire in 6th century and founded monasteries which were centres of learning. Legend has it he had a miraculous birth.
The tulip tree near the south porch is reputed to be over 300 years old and blooms every year in June and July.
Useful Links
The Aisle, St. Dubricius church
A History from the Celtic e-Library
A History from A Celtic Collective
Whitchurch CE Primary School Herefordshire
Kingfisher River Cruises Symonds Yat East
norton-house.com B&B Whitchurch
Amazing Hedge Puzzle, Whitchurch
Wyenot.com, A Photographic tour of news and views in the Wye Valley
Gwillim Grave Enclosure
The west side of the churchyard contains the Gwillim tomb. The Gwillims, who owned the Old Court, Whitchurch from 1600 to 1868, were benefactors of the church. Thomas Gwillim, who built the grave enclosure, had from his family of six only one grandchild, Elizabeth Posthuma, who was the daughter of his son Colonel Thomas Gwillim. Elizabeth was a remarkable woman who at 19 years old married John G. Simcoe, future first Governor of Upper Canada and founder of Toronto.
More information on
www.gwillim-simcoe-story.co.uk