Meetings
2024 Programme
Next Meeting
Sunday 19 May 24 - Chearsley Pub Revival Day
An outdoor experience visiting the six village locations that were once pubs (including the one that still is!). Beer will of course be available - at prices not seen for many a year.
Other meetings planned for 2024
August 24 - details still being finalised
Another outdoor activity is on the cards! Watch this space.
Thursday 7 November 24
Bletchley Park. A talk about the fascinating war-time history of this well know establishment
Previous Meetings
Meeting 7, 22 February 2024. The Great Train Robbery
A fascinating talk was given by historian Roger Mason into this infamous event in 1986, in which some £2.6m (around £70m in today's money) was stolen from a mail train outside Leighton Buzzard. We heard details of the villains involved, how the robbery was planned and executed, the follow-up investigation and the eventual detention and subsequent history of those involved. Of particular interest in this area as the Leatherslade Farm hideout used immediately after the robbery is of course just up the road near Oakley
Meeting 6, 15 October 2023. Round the Village 'Treasure Hunt' Quiz
This was the Society's first meeting held completely outdoors.
Entitled a 'Treasure Hunt', it took the form of a quiz with a historical angle in which participants followed a trail around the village, looking for answers to the questions on their sheets. It started and ended at the Bell pub, with refreshments served en-route at the church. Over 70 adults and children, organised into18 teams, enjoyed a fun afternoon on a beautifully warm and sunny Sunday afternoon.
The Questions and Answers are here, along with a selection of the photos taken
Meeting 5, 15 June 2023. Film 'Chearsley Pilgrims' plus The Swinging Sixties
This meeting followed a different format to previous.
It started with the launch of a new 30 minute film entitled ‘Chearsley Pilgrims’, produced by the North Marston History Club. It gives interesting insights into pilgrimages in the early medieval period by following an imaginary group of pilgrims as they passed through Chearsley Village on their way to the much frequented John Schorne’s Holy Well in North Marston.
This was followed by a session entitled 'The Swinging Sixties' . Based on research into Parish Council minutes from the 1960s, members of the Steering Group read out amusing extracts on several different themes. After each set of readings, members of the audience who lived in the village at that time were invited to comment and share their own memories. The script used for the readings is here.
Meeting 4, 16 March 2023. Pilgrimages to North Marston
This meeting featured a presentation by Sue Chaplin of the North Marston History Club on the early history of the village, including story of the pilgrims visits, plus a ‘recollections’ session in which long term Chearsley residents spoke of their memories of the village School
There was also a short presentation on the work of the CVHS Steering Group that has been formed since the last meeting.
The supporting slide sets for the evening is here.
Meeting 3, 15 September 2022. Chearsley History, the Schorne Legend & Future Plans
A similar agenda to the second meeting, but with additional information about contact made with the North Marston History Club and the village Schorne legend.
The presentation used is here
Meeting 2, 12 May 2022. Chearsley - Heritage & Holy Wells
This first meeting proper of the Society was attended by about 40 people and focussed on Chearsley the village and work that had been undertaken since the Inaugural Meeting.
The presentation used is here.
Inaugural Meeting, 2 June 2019. Ideas for a village History Society
The idea of forming a Chearsley Historic Society was formally launched at this exhibition and reception in the Village Hall, sponsored by the Parish Council. The event was attended by a hundred or so people who expressed strong interest in supporting and participating in future ‘Historic Chearsley’ initiatives and events.
Progress was brought to a halt by the pandemic but as restrictions eased, a number of informal meetings led to activities being planned and one major project - restoration of the Stockwell - being started.
Details of these early activities are described in a Progress Report published in December 2021