The Charltons Historical Society collects, transcribes and makes available information, memories, maps, photographs, etc relating to the history of our villages. We also organise meetings with speakers on subjects of local or more general historical interest. We meet at 7.30 for 8pm - from Spring 2009 our meetings will normally be on the second Tuesday of each month (see below).

Membership is now £10 per year (or £2.50 for visitors attending a meeting) as, due to the popularity of The Fox & Hounds with skittles teams, our venue is now The Reading Room in Charlton Mackrell and refreshments are provided before each meeting.
You can contact us via this website.


*** Our next meeting is on 14th September - speaker tbc
 
Other meetings this year will be held on 12th October and 9th November 2010
(the second Tuesday in a month) at 7.30 for 8pm
in the Reading Room, Charlton Mackrell.
If you have any requests for speakers or local research topics please contact us.

 

2009 MEETINGS

Monday 26th January - our AGM and a talk by volunteers from the South Cadbury Environs Project about their archaeological work and the important contribution of our late Chairman, Duncan Black (see below).
Monday 23rd February  -  a talk and discussion on the history and natural history of Green Down, with volunteers from the Somerset Wildlife Trust.
Monday 30th March  -  Mrs Denny Robbins, of the Somerset Vernacular Building Research Group, which studies and records houses and other buildings in Somerset villages, particularly those built in the local style and of local materials.
Tuesday 5th May   -  a presentation on the 1911 Census and the newly-released information about the inhabitants of The Charltons from this census.
Tuesday 9th June  -  a presentation by Mike Bolton on "Hidden Somerset Revealed"
Tuesday 14th July   -  a talk by Mary Siraut on Clarks and the development of Street
Tuesday 8th September  -  Moira Gittos will talk about the Fleet Air Arm Museum Archives, to which our late Chairman, Duncan Black, was a significant contributor
Saturday 13th September - Heritage Open Day at Lytes Cary, with displays on the results of the landscape research and information about local families and sources.
Tuesday 13th October  - a talk by Grahame Deane of Somerton Watermill on Mills and Waterpower
Tuesday 10th November  -  Photos, Maps and other items from our Society archives



The geophysical surveys forming part of the Lytes Cary Landscape Project started in June, with the assistance of some local volunteers and the South Somerset Archaeological Research Group. If anyone is interested in taking part in future, please visit the SSARG website.


It is with great regret and sadness that The Charltons Historical Society and the Lytes Cary Landscape Research Project team announce the sudden death of Duncan Black, our Society Chairman and good friend.  Following a service at Yeovil Crematorium on 14/1/09, a Memorial Service for Duncan was held at 2.30pm on Tuesday 20th January at Charlton Adam Church attended by many friends, family and colleagues.

He died at home in Charlton Adam on Boxing Day and will be greatly missed, not least by the many other archaeological and historical groups with which he was involved in Somerset (including the South Cadbury Environs Project, the Yeovil Archaeological and Local History Society, the Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton, the Western Front Association and the archaeology department at Strode College.

Duncan was also an important figure in our village life, notably as a Parish Councillor with a particular interest in footpaths and rights of way and as the organiser of the Poppy Appeal for the Royal British Legion.



Our meetings in 2008 included:
an illustrated talk from the volunteers researching the landscape history of Lytes Cary for the National Trust - including Thomas Lyte's Commonplace Book of 1611;  a talk on the Rural Life Museum at Glastonbury (and some Victorian recipes) by Zaida Haworth;   a talk on "Somerset Castles" by Robert Dunning;  "The truth behind the Da Vinci Code" by Bill Putnam;   Arthur Thring talking about his memories of Charlton House and life in The Charltons last century;   a talk on "Wills" by Mary Siraut;  "Sundials" by  Jane & Peter Walker; and a meeting about our research and transcription work.


Meetings in 2007 included:
the history of the Somerton Waterworks near Lytes Cary and families who worked there; the recent renovation work at Lytes Cary House;  Mary Siraut on the Dickinson family of Kingweston and the introduction of new farming methods in the early 19th century;  Jean Harper of the South Somerset Heritage Centre on the Gloving industry;  a historical walk around Somerton;  Church Bells and Bell-ringing by Michael Horseman;  Ben Vessey, Head of History at Millfield School;  and our Chairman on WW2 buildings in Yeovil and area (replacing a postponed talk by John Dallimore of the Somerset Vernacular Buildings Research Group).