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Last Friday I put up an old photo of the Village Green in Bournville.
The Green, which was triangular in shape, was of course the 'centre' of our community. The schools were on one side, the village Post Office, the Bank and various shops all along another.
At the northern end was the Quaker Meeting House where I was a member of the youth club, and at the southern end, the Church of St Francis of Assisi, where my mother and father were married and much later, I was to sing as a choir boy.
At Christmas there was carol singing on the Green and there was also a large gathering to see in the New Year. Both these events accompanied by the bells from the Carillon on top of the school.
Right in the centre of the Green was the 'Rest House'.
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Bournville Rest House was built in 1913 to celebrate George and Elizabeth Cadbury's Silver Wedding and was paid for by the factory employees. It is currently the Carillon Visitors' Centre.
An inscription inside reads:
"This Rest House was erected to commemorate the Silver Wedding of Mr. & Mrs. George Cadbury by the employees of Cadbury Brothers Ltd. at Bournville and in all parts of the world. A lasting memorial of esteem and affection as an expression of gratitude for the unceasing interest in their welfare and in admiration of manifold services to the world at large".
The design is by Harvey and is based on Dunster's medieval butter market in Somerset.
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The Yarn Market in Dunster, Somerset, England was built around 1590 and is scheduled as an ancient monument.
The octagonal structure has a central stone pier which supports a heavy timber framework which carries a slate roof with central wooden lantern surmounted by a weather vane.
Around 1590 George Luttrell, of the Luttrell family constructed the market to shelter traders and their wares from the rain.
It is now managed by the National Trust.
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I'm so glad you put me out of my misery! I was admiring the Bournville rest house and thinking what does this remind me of. As if by magic, my "down button" revealed the Yarn Market in Dunster, which I know well.
ReplyDeleteTalking of old and attractive little buildings, I was buying veg at the Market house in Risborough this morning, that would make an interesting post.
I feel sad for the people of Bournville right now. I always thought the old rest house was an elegant building. Seeing it again brings back memories of my visits to the area. Thanks for showing it.
ReplyDeleteI took a tip from you and started wading through old photos. Wow, what memories evolved in the process.
Except for the difference in roofing material, the building in the last picture has a design similar to the Samoan meeting hall in the Polynesian Cultural Center on Oahu. It must be a universally sturdy design. Kath, are those local vegetables you bought? What's in season right now?
ReplyDeleteLovely post Bernard,glorious functional buildings.
ReplyDeleteKath: I'm always pleased to put one of my nieces out of her misery.
ReplyDeleteBy the way Jan is enquiring about those veg you were buying?
Hi Valerie, I have just seen you old photos and left a comment (with difficulty). I have a problem leaving comments on certain site. Let me know if you had trouble posting here, as someone can't.
Jan: I shall have to google that and have a look. I bet the one in Dunster came first though. Built circa 1590.
As for veg, I bought a super cauliflower yesterday as sprouts are on the way out now.
This is the time here for root vegetables like swedes and parsnips. Yummy.
Thanks Liz. As children we used to meet up in the rest house. No drink or fags or graffiti
......just a little snog perhaps. It's now a visitor centre so it is locked up at night.
Less places for children to meet up. Sad.
I did get your comment, Bernard, but I had to come back on your blog to see this query. I had no problem posting though.
ReplyDeleteTo see responses on blogs I often subscribe for email follow-up. However, even though I tick the box the system hasn't worked for a week or so ... I hope I don't miss anything.
hello Jan, yes all grown locally. As Bernard says, root veg are at their seasonal best. I bought potatoes, parsnips,swede and onions as well as apples.
ReplyDeleteHi Valerie, That's OK then, the problem is my end....something went wrong after I had a Java script update on Feb 1. You can always peek at the contents list to see what's gone before.
ReplyDeleteAnother of my favourites Kath, is Celeriac.
Delia Smith used to do a tray of roast vegetables which included it.
As soon as I saw that Bournville building on the telly I saw straight away the likeness to Dunster's Yarn Market, with which I am very familiar.
ReplyDeleteAylesbury was on the same series of progse. I thought of you and Kath. You can't be far from there. Railway Cottage as well.
Didn't the duck man look like a duck?!
Yes, Aylesbury is not far from here. There are many references to Aylesburys duck breeding history, with place names like Duck Farm Court. (The local football team is nick-named the Ducks). Before the railway came to town, Ducks were walked all the way to London to the markets.
ReplyDeleteI didn't see the duck program, but as Kath says, Aylesbury is not far away. The last time I went there was to visit the County Museum. (Buckinghamshire). Worth a visit and free.
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