Kineton & District Local History Group

We have talks on local history topics in the Village Hall, usually on the 3rd Friday of the month from September to May at 7.30pm.  Visitors are welcome (£1.50 per visit).  We also arrange outings to historic places in June, July and August (pre-booking essential).  Members are involved in finding out about the past of the village and its surroundings through documentary research, oral history, archaeology, metal detecting, collecting, talks and visits.

 (left) St Peter's Church Kineton   

In May, June and August we arrange trips to places of historical interest led by informative guides.  Click on the Events button to see where we are headed in 2009.

Activities

The Group has mounted exhibitions, arranged for specialists to identify local   bygones, and members have contributed to academic research programmes, notably the Battlefields Trust research into the site of the "Kineton Fight", more popularly known as the Battle of Edgehill. 

Click on http://www.battlefieldstrust.com/resource-centre/civil-war/battleview.asp?BattleFieldId=3. for more.

Other members have researched the memorials in St Peter's Church and the history of notable local families, click on Short Articles for more.

In 2008 we encouraged villagers to record everyday life in the Snapshot of Kineton, and we have collected over 2000 photographs, interviews, diaries and other ephemera capturing life in the community for posterity.  The material will be used in presentations, exhibitions, and as an archive for future researchers. Click on this link for more details Kineton Snapshot 2008

Villagers at the Primary School Fete 2008

 The Snapshot 2008 Exhibition June 2009

 In June 2009 the Group mounted an exhibition of some of the 2,000+ photographs submitted during the Snapshot period, as well as displaying extracts from diaries and playing excepts from oral history recordings. The Camera Club and the Art Group both contributed material to make a fascinating show of village life.

 View of the exhibition

 A collection of all the junk mail  delivered to one member's address during the Snapshot!  Such ephemera is invaluable to future researchers, what would we give for similar collections from WW1 - the fifties - and even more recently. 

All the Snapshot material will be archived for the future

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Bring Your Bygones Day 2008

As part of the 21st birthday activities in 2008 the Group arranged for experts Maggie Wood and Jon Radley from Warwick Museum and Angie Bolton from the Portable Antiquities Scheme to come to Kineton and identify historic objects from villagers' sheds, attics, cabinets and garages.  Over 100 artefacts and specimens were brought in and included a German Iron Cross, extensive collections of pottery, clay pipes, flints, civil war relics, souvenirs from the middle east, and some mystery objects.   

 Does anybody know what is this?

Its made of dark wood and is about 40cm long

 Maggie Wood examining a locket 

 Jon Radley discussing a geological specimen                   Angie Bolton recording a collection of bygones

 When appropriate the objects were entered on the Portable Antiquities Scheme system so that their details could be accessed by future researchers.  The day showed the extent of the village's involvement with local events, such as the Battle of Edgehill as well as the wide contacts with the outside world.

 To see more details of Group membership, forthcoming events, news, and to contact us, please use the menu buttons at the top of the page.