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Contents:
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September 2009:
Village Voices Exhibition
Sonning: An Architectural & Historical Walk
'Newts of Sonning': the Society gets “up, close and personal” with its local environmentOur local resident environmentalist Alistair Driver hosted a fascinating evening, during which Society members were shown a small sample of the local wildlife that live in and around Ali's Pond, including the endangered Great Crested Newt. Later on in the evening we were introduced to a few 'tame' bats, of a type that are likely to be found in the area. Using a bat detector we were able to track down a number of local bats before it got too dark. We learned, contrary to popular belief, that bats feed several times in the evening, coming and going from their roosts. You can also see a short video of the event at:
11th September 2008Henry Woodyer in Sonning
As part of the Heritage Open Days weekend organised by The Civic Trust and English Heritage, the Sonning & Sonning Eye Society participatied with this event, Henry Woodyer in Sonning. The day highlighted the significance of this High Victorian architect, whose work makes quite an impact on our historic village. The event also formed part of our first birthday celebrations as a civic society. 'Words on Eye: A Guided Walk Around Sonning Eye'This ‘walk & talk’ for the Sonning & Sonning Eye Society, led by Alistair Driver and David Woodward, was blessed with blue skies and spring sunshine. It made our stroll, from the waterside jetty near the French Horn to the gravel lakes and islands, simply ideal for spotting wetland flora, fauna and feathers! Great crested grebes, the ‘hobby’, moorhens, warblers and many others were seen or heard – or both- while a ramble through the charming narrow footpath by the waterside cottages gave many of us a completely fresh perspective on Eye – invisible from the road. Progressing up Spring Lane, the spring itself was hidden, too, a dry season depleting the water-table.  David Woodward talking about Sonning Eye This was followed by an intriguing talk on aspects of Eye by David, blending history, architecture, industry and anecdote! Such a feast of information: Eyot House with its glorious tile frieze created by the De Morgan Tile Company, the renovation of a 16th century barn, the site of the Forge, the development & decline of willow basket making, the history of local farms, the 12 listed buildings, Eyot Island, the wonderful interiors of barns, sympathetically converted to housing, whose owners had generously allowed us to visit. There were so many intriguing questions: was Botany Bay cottage originally the collecting point for deportees? Why – and when – did ‘The Barracks’ get their name? Completed by a close up view of the 18th century Sonning Mill and its water wheel, followed by tea in the garden of The Great House, the afternoon was a most enjoyable event, encouraging us all to re-appreciate – and care for – our fine local heritage – a feast for the ‘Eyes’.
Joyce Reed Biodiversity in Sonning & Wokingham“Variety’s the very spice of life” and that is just what the jargon-word “biodiversity” is all about too, as demonstrated by Andy Glencross, Wokingham District Council’s enthusiastic Countryside Officer in his talk on 18th March. Those who attended are now likely to be found either attempting to locate the elusive Glow Worm between here and Dinton Pastures, where Andy is based, or along the Thames this month searching out the rare Loddon Lily (or Summer Snowflake, Leucojum aestivum) - 80% of this plant’s UK population is on the Berkshire sections of the Thames and Loddon. But behind the success stories in his talk about local habitats and species there was an underlying current of decline and mismanagement, caused in part by creeping urbanisation and also by the loss of some efficient and effective ways of managing land, such as coppicing and hedge-laying. The entire land surface of the UK has been affected by man's activities in some way over the centuries, so biodiversity is inevitably dependent on positive action and respect for our natural environment, which just using either ‘natural history’ or ‘ecology’ does not quite conjure up.
Diana Coulter S&SES get to know Henry Woodyer, the ‘Gentleman Architect’This talk for the Sonning & Sonning Eye Society by Dr. John Elliott on the Victorian architect Henry Woodyer was appropriately held in the ‘Buttery’ or old Library in Holme Park at the Reading Blue Coat school. Originally built in the 1790s, Holme Park was later remodelled by Woodyer in 1881-2. It was also an appropriate venue as the event was dedicated to Armine Edmonds who sadly passed away in January. Armine’s mother was brought up at Holme Park and since the 1960s Armine lived at Woodyer’s North Lodge with her husband, John. Dr. Elliott began his talk by explaining that, although Henry Woodyer has about 300 commissions to his name, little was known about this prolific architect until it was suggested as a subject for a thesis, culminating in the book ‘Henry Woodyer: Gentleman Architect’ which Dr. Elliott co-wrote with John Pritchard. Unfortunately this interesting and informative book is now out of print. Educated at Eton and Oxford, Woodyer was a wealthy man with a large estate at Grafham, near Guildford in Surrey. Whilst he had no need to earn a living, he had considered the church and law as possible careers but chose architecture instead. His society and church connections ensured that he was never short of new commissions, and those he preferred were usually within easy reach of Guildford by train. Woodyer only designed or extended a handful of country houses, as religion dominated the majority of his work. He was responsible for many new churches and church restorations, as well as parsonages and village schools. Most of his work is a flamboyant form of Victorian Gothic, rich in colour and decoration, although some of his restorations have been thought of as insensitive [not least, some say, St. Andrew’s church, which he substantially restyled between 1852-3]. Apart from Holme Park, North Lodge and St. Andrews, Woodyer was also responsible in the village for building in 1859 the old school on Thames Street, now known as ‘Masters’, and for additions and repairs to the old vicarage in 1858. Woodyer’s distinctive style eventually fell out of fashion and he was mostly forgotten about. Dr. Elliott’s talk reintroduced this important architect and a walk around Sonning will reveal how much Woodyer shaped the architectural heritage of our village. The Sonning & Sonning Eye Society go ‘walkabout’ around SonningOn Sunday 17th October the Sonning & Sonning Eye Society had its’ first outing - a walk around Sonning aptly titled 'Bricks & Bats: Habitations & Habitats of Pearson Road & Environs', led by society members Alistair Driver, Brian O'Callaghan & Diana Coulter. Starting at Beech Lodge, the walkers were divided into two groups and then led in relay around the carefully planned circular walk. First visit was to ‘The Pound’ on Pound Lane; the copse of trees between King George's Field and Pound Lane, about which Alastair outlined a brief natural history and the importance of even such a small copse as a habitat for all manner of plants, insects and wildlife. After a wander down Pound Lane Diana pointed out that, despite the styling and names of some of the houses, none that we had just walked by had existed before the last century, many being the work of local builder Sidney Paddick. Next stop was a look at the Victorian Gothic architecture of Pearson Hall and the Alms Houses next door. A look at the gardens behind the Alms Houses revealed a shallow valley caused by a spring which starts at Sonning Farm and the appropriately named ‘Spring Cottages’ on Charvil Lane. The stream is also fed by surface water in the village and discharges into the Thames near the bridge. Now mostly culverted, once upon a time this little stream would have been a source of clean drinking water for the villagers and their livestock, and for the local women to do their dirty washing in! Further along Pearson Road we looked at Georgian and timber-framed medieval houses, where Alastair said that the old roof spaces were excellent habitats for bats. Brian then described how ‘Old Cottage’ was not a cottage at all, but was originally a great hall. It seems that very few of the ‘cottages’ around Sonning were ever true cottages, most being far too grand for what would have been very humble dwellings. Walking down the High Street, Diana pointed out some of the clues that show which of the houses were once shops where once upon a time you would have been able to purchase almost all of your weekly provisions!  Brian O'Callaghan in full flow at North Lodge Down by the Bull the two groups joined forces for brief stops in the churchyard and the grounds behind North Lodge overlooking the site where the Bishop’s Palace once stood. Then it was up Sonning lane to Ali’s Pond Local Nature Reserve at the top of King George’s Field. Alastair outlined a brief history of the reserve and talked about the variety of plants and wildlife in and around the pond, particularly the discovery of Great Crested Newts which ensured the reserve its’ protected status. Alastair rounded off by announcing that the reserve has just won the 2004 Dorothy Morley Community Conservation Award for Berkshire. Congratulations to Alastair and The Friends of Ali’s Pond!Finally, the walk ended back at Beech Lodge for tea and some excellent home-made cakes. Many thanks to Diana, Brian and Alastair for a most enlightening tour of Sonning.
Stephen Humphreys |
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