The Silk Mill at Whitchurch was established on the banks of the River Test in the early 1800s and has recently undergone extensive restoration. The grass upon which we were standing had been put in position the day before our visit and was perfect, green and weed-free, unlike many of our own lawns which are in a sorry state after the long hot summer.  After a very welcome cup of coffee, our guide explained that the chalk stream, mill pond, leat and race, with Frog Island in the middle, are micro-managed throughout the year to ensure that the quality and flow of the water is pure.
Grayling, brown trout and Mallard ducks pootled about in the river as we learned that fast flowing water produces tightly-woven silk and slow flowing water gives a much looser weave.

After a fascinating morning at the Silk Mill, we then drove a short distance to The Bombay Gin Distillery where  we had lunch on the top of a double-decker bus which has been turned into a cafe very successfully!  After sampling a delicious quiche, salad and coleslaw, we headed off to the factory.

The Botanicals Glass Houses add a very contemporary look to the factory which was established in 1761 by Thomas Dakin.  The constant warmth in the glasshouses is maintained by using the moist warm air rising from the copper stills. Butterflies from Africa live amongst the thick vegetation comprised of  juniper, cassia bark, lemon trees, liqourice roots and other exotics all of which are used to flavour the gin.  We saw tanks containing 100,000 litres of pure gin, 90% of which is exported – surprisingly, the UK market is only 10%.

At the end of the tour we enjoyed sampling a fruity cocktail in the late afternoon sunshine before our drive back to Dorset. Our thanks to Mary for organising an excellent day out!

 

 

Dear Members and Visitors,
Autumn is here and after the long hot summer we can now look forward to 4 October and the start of an exciting and varied lecture programme.
On behalf of the Committee, I should like to extend a very warm welcome to all our new Members. We hope you will be able to attend the New Members buffet lunch in November which is an opportunity for us to meet you personally. We hope you will enjoy being part of our lively society and that you will make new and lasting friendships.

Almost five years ago, I was invited by a friend to come to my first NADFAS lecture here in Stalbridge Village Hall – and it was one of the best things I’ve ever done! I was impressed by the consistently high- calibre lecturers and how so many of them had the ability to present a seemingly- dull subject into something quite remarkable. I found I came away from lectures having learned so much and was often in awe that they frequently spoke without notes, non-stop, for an hour at a time.
In 2014, I became Programme Secretary, which has to be the most interesting job of all. I could have continued quite cheerfully choosing lectures for years, but Life is full of surprises and I am now your fledgling Chairman.
The re-branding of NADFAS last year saw the rise of The Arts Society with 90,000 members world-wide. You are part of this exciting mission to give a wider understanding of all the arts to both young and old alike. We hope you enjoy all that we offer at The Arts Society Blackmore Vale and that some of you might, in time, consider joining our voluntary Committee where you will be made very welcome.
With all good wishes,
Sheila Williams

 

A rather in auspicious start!  The coach company had experienced a major breakdown that morning causing our coach to arrive very late.  But many of the gathered party took advantage of the Waitrose café and we set off in good spirits with a very cheerful driver one hour late.  Fortunately the A303 was clear and we made good time arriving at A la Ronde by 11.30am .  A small, but fascinating and quirky property, it was originally built by two spinster cousins, Mary and Jane Parminter in 1790s.  Some of the group walked up to their tiny chapel up the lane.  The chapel even included a minute organ specially built for the space.  This building also contained 4 small Alms houses and a school room for 5 – 6 children. Originally the whole building had been covered in shells but the maintenance was too difficult.  In the main building, which we entered 8 at a time, we could see more of the enormous collection shells although we are unable to go up to the observatory which is lined with shells; it is now viewed through mirrors from the octagon floor.  The cousins’ unusual artistic flare was evident in so many ways; I particularly liked their frieze made from birds’ feathers all around two of the rooms.  Coffee in the garden overlooking the estuary was very pleasant and we were blessed with reasonable weather.

Due to our late start most of us had to eat our picnic lunches in the coach on our journey to Sand house north of Sidbury.  Steve, our excellent driver certainly proved his skills in manoeuvering the large coach up the lane into a narrow entrance. 

A complete contrast!  Sand house has been in the Huish family since 1530 and the current inhabitants, cousins of the owners, gave us an amazing history lesson on the buildings through the centuries since the 1300s, including the original 15th century hall which is now a barn, and how the family has discovered the true story through the timber construction and decorations in various parts of the property.  The terraced gardens were also very pretty although in need of an extra gardener or two. 

After a welcome cup of tea and piece of home-made cake we drove back to Gillingham having had a very diversely, interesting and happy day.

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Our Arts Society laid on a bus to bring 25 of our members to the Area ArtsFest in Devizes on 25th April to which over 400 people, members and non-members, came. 

The exhibition was opened by June Robinson, our Chairman, and was filled with wonderfully talented artworks from 22 societies in the area, including three artworks from Blackmore Vale.    Then Paul Atterbury, from the antiques roadshow, delighted his audience with a talk on “The Canal Age”.

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To celebrate 50 years of support of Young Arts by The Arts Society we sponsored two lectures in local comprehensive schools. Given by highly qualified Arts Society lecturers these lectures gave year 12 and 13 students an opportunity to step outside the curriculum and learn about and appreciate the arts. 

Mrs Marion Honnywill presented the completed Church Records of Silton Church to the Churchwardens (see above). The church is kept open – a note on the table inside the door explaining the accessibility of the Record.

Church Recording

The Blackmore Vale Church Recording group re-formed in October 2012 under the leadership of Pat Gee and Felicity MacSwiney.  We started recording the Sturminster Newton Parish Church using the expertise of Frances Moule, who is the Area Representative for The Arts Society Church Recording. The team have now finished recording the Memorials, windows and stonework, and have now moved onto woodwork.. New volunteers are always welcome.  We meet each Thursday at 10 a.m. for a couple of hours EXCEPT for the Thursday of the Arts Society Blackmore Vale monthly meeting.