History

Town’s tribute to “women of influence”

A PROGRAMME of events celebrating famous Frome women has been announced by Frome Heritage Museum.

Celebrated Women of Frome is a series of events and activities being run in conjunction with an exhibition of the same name and which take place between May and July.

Both the exhibition and events focus on more than a dozen women who had a close association with Frome and their lives range from the late 17th century to the present day.

Those being “celebrated” include internationally-known poets, the town’s only female MP, a best-selling novelist, and a pioneering photographer whose images shocked the world.

Exhibition curator David Lassman said: “Each woman chosen made a significant contribution to her chosen field, either at a local, national, or even international level.

“The exhibition will hopefully whet visitors’ appetite for this incredible group of women, and then events elsewhere in the town will allow a deeper connection into their amazing lives.”

For details, visit: https://frome-heritage-museum.org/

Community call to help protect local heritage

Candidates such as this fingerpost will be considered for inclusion in the list

SOMERSET residents are being invited to nominate what they believe to be valuable heritage in their community as part of a new project being delivered by the South West Heritage Trust.

The Local Heritage List helps to protect buildings, sites and structures that local people regard as important, from medieval cottages to unusual postboxes.

Somerset and Exmoor National Park were chosen by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as one of 22 national pilots for a Local Heritage List Project.

The Local Heritage List is different from the national statutory list. It focuses on buildings, sites and structures that local people regard as important. Local listing will stop locally significant sites from being overlooked and will offer some increased protections through the planning system.

Mary Andrews, Local Heritage List Project Manager, said: “Anyone can have a say in deciding what’s valuable to their community by nominating a site. Nominations might feature rare materials or historical connections and could be anything from a factory to a front doorstep or a postbox and historic landscape.

“Places where important events took place, or where minority identities are celebrated, are also promising candidates. The key thing is that the site matters to the life and culture of the local community.”

There are several ways to make a nomination, including through the Know Your Place website, or by post or email.

A free online event is taking place at 7.30 pm on Wednesday, April 27th where people can find out more. To make a nomination or book onto the event visit: swheritage.org.uk/local-heritage-list

The man who grew rich from paper bags!

A NEWfilm has been produced about Edgar Bowden, the paper bag king, who lived at Chota Castle, Chew Magna after WW2. His story is so interesting that a book was written about his life and it was the book that inspired Peter Brownlee of Chew Valley Films to make this film.

Peter said: “I read how Edgar grew up in relative poverty in Easton in Bristol. His father was a hard man who despised Edgar as he was a listless and frail boy. His father told him that all he would be good for was selling newspapers on the street corner.

“But at the age of nine, after a major operation to remove a large growth that was pressing on his brain, Edgar began to blossom. With his father’s words ringing in his ears he proved that he had a talent for making money.”

He hit on the idea of using paper bags to sell sweets which were in those days sold loose or wrapped in newspaper. As a teenager Edgar slowly built his paper bag business by cycling to supply sweet shops all over Bristol.

Over the years Edgar started many other businesses and eventually was wealthy enough to buy Chota Castle. The film follows not only Edgar’s business career but his involvement in the Methodist church.

One of the things that attracted Peter to

Chota Castle around 1950

Family group 1950s

the project was that Edgar was also a keen amateur film maker.

Peter said: “He wasn’t the best cameraman in the world as he tended to take very short shots and pan too fast, but he captured wonderful footage of village people at garden parties and fundraising events at Chota Castle and I was able to include this in the film.”

There will be a preview of “Chota Castle and The Paper Bag King” on Chew Valley Films on YouTube from the end of April and the full film will be available from May 13th.

Chota Castle today

Dan’s the man when it comes to keepie-uppie

CONSIDERINGthat Dan Magness has worked with some of the biggest names in sport it comes as something of a surprise that the 38-year-old is at his most content when working with school children: “I obviously get a buzz when I appear at Wembley or alongside Lionel Messi but it’s not as satisfying as going into schools and having the opportunity to help shape a young person’s life.”

That may well be in part because of his own experience of school. Written off by his teachers after he declared he wanted to be a footballer, Dan has proved them wrong: “It was not a great experience to be told you weren’t good enough at such a young age, perseverance has been my watchword ever since.”

That perseverance was further tested when he was released by Wimbledon FC aged just 16: “It was a blow, but it didn’t come as the greatest shock in the world. I was, and still am, great with a football but basically –I couldn’t run fast enough!”

It was then that Dan decided to become a football freestyler, a decision that changed his life. In 2010 he broke his own world record when he extended the record of keeping a ball in the air by two hours to 26 hours. He now holds a series of Guinness records and his work has seen him perform from Australia to a packed Wembley Stadium ahead of last year’s Euro Championship final between England and Italy: “Performing at Wembley in that atmosphere was something very, very special. Certainly something I’ll never forget.” As memorable as that July day last summer was, it’s more likely that you’ll find Dan working with schools and charities throughout the UK. He is due to perform at a number of locations throughout our region in the coming weeks: “I really enjoy coming to work in the more rural areas. I’ve lived in Derbyshire for a number of years and far too often see the challenges faced by those living in rural communities.” Dan sees himself no different to a musician, artist or actor going into a school to showcase their talents: “Once you’ve been able to engage with your audience it becomes a lot easier to teach them life skills and therefore begin to raise their positivity. Working in Dan Magness with BBC Radio 2’s Sara Cox small groups makes the experience a lot more meaningful and beneficial.”

Find out more about Dan and his appearances on his Facebook page. For bookings: Adam Shearer 07967 124844

The train now arriving . . .

THERE has been a new arrival at Midsomer Norton South railway station – a two-car Diesel Multiple Unit.

Privately-owned, the DMU came from the Avon Valley Railway near Bristol. Although it did not operate on the Somerset and Dorset line, the Somerset and Dorset Railway Heritage Trust, which runs the line, says it is a welcome addition to its fleet with its open driver’s cab offering front seat passengers bird’s eye views of its journey along the track.

Celebrating 50 years of the Mendip AONB

Planting at Charterhouse Planting at Westbury-sub-Mendip

FIFTYtrees have been planted to celebrate 50 years of the Mendip Hills as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The Mendip Hills AONB Unit has joined forces with local people, parishes, and landowners to plant the trees across the 198 km² protected area, thanks to funding from Network Rail and support from The Tree Council.

A range of native species have been planted at suitable locations across the area. Locally grown English oak trees have been planted in Bleadon, Churchill, and East Harptree by local schools and environment groups.

Common beech and rowan – known as mountain ash – are two species that have been situated on the exposed top of the Mendip plateau, as well as sites managed by The Mendip Society and Mendip Activity Centre.

A field maple has also been planted in Sandford with the parish council and in several other locations along hedgerows. In addition, a Scots pine has been planted near Shipham, with sweet chestnut trees chosen for community open spaces in Priddy, Cheddar, and at Burrington Primary School.

Some of the 50 trees have also been planted with farmers along public rights of way, on wildlife trust nature reserves and at Bristol Water’s Chew Valley Lake visitor centre. Several trees have been planted on National Trust sites and in Cheddar Gorge.

Small-leaved lime and hornbeam have also been planted around Wells, at Ebbor Gorge and in Westbury-sub-Mendip, where the local tree group is working with landowners to create a new hedgerow and public route along the old Strawberry Line railway.

The Mendips are badly affected by ash dieback – a disease wiping out many ash trees across the UK, which in turn is affecting biodiversity and the character of the landscape. As well as marking the 50th, the project aims to replace some of these dying specimen ash trees and contribute locally to the fight against the climate and nature crises.

Tim Haselden, project development officer for the Mendip Hills AONB Unit, said: “We’re excited to have planted 50 specimen trees with the local community, our partners, and The Tree Council to mark each of the 50 years.

“We’ve planted at wonderful locations, many of which are publicly accessible. Planting along the old Strawberry Line felt particularly apt due to the project funding coming from Network Rail. We are keen to promote the importance of planting the right trees in the right places, and hope that we can leave a positive legacy for the landscape for the next 50 years and more.”

The planting took place between January and March and information on each of the 50 trees will be available on the Mendip Hills AONB website and social media (#50Trees).