Our executive committee meets about every six weeks, and we have an Annual General Meeting in May.
You can read the minutes of our meetings during the last few months below, and also view some earlier news items.
Previous Meetings
Exec meeting 15 August
Exec meeting 4 July 2025
AGM 21 May 2025
Exec meeting 11 April 2025
Exec meeting 21 Feb 2025
HORNCASTLE HISTORY & HERITAGE SOCIETY
Executive Meeting Minutes
21 February 2025
Attendees: Ian Marshman (Chairman), Mary Silverton (Treasurer), Kevin Woodward (Secretary), Michael Hieatt (Planning), Helena Burman, Adam Cartwright
Apologies: Nick Fox, Mike Martin
Approval of Executive Minutes 10/01/2025
The minutes of the January Executive meeting were approved without comment.
Matters arising from the previous minutes
- Batemans’ sign repaint on the old Cross Keys pub. An on-site meeting has been arranged for next week by AC with the sign writer. Costs have been agreed at £250 and it has been confirmed that no planning is required as it is classed as restoration work. Batemans have agreed to cover the cost. A list of other sites around the town with old painted adverts is to be compiled with a view to possibly having some repainted in the future.
- Watermill blue plaque has been given to the owner who will put it up and inform us when fitted so that an unveiling ceremony can be arranged.
- St Mary’s Environs Project update was given by MH. Phase 1 has now been completed as far as possible, the walls having been repaired and capped, paths have been re-graveled. Railings are still to be repainted and this is planned to be carried out soon. They are still awaiting various permissions from the Church Authorities for some work to be carried out. Phase B plan discussions are also underway; details will be circulated once finalized. Church faculty permission is still being sought for the placing of the final two Town Trail boards.
- It was decided to make a higher official complaint to ELDC about the dismissive attitude of the Highways Officer regarding the Thimbleby Hill being renamed Thimbleby Road without any consultation in accordance with their own procedures. The first complaint was dismissed without reference to any of the evidence put forward by the Society. Further investigation revealed that ELDC say they use information from Geospace. On contacting them, Geospace confirmed that they update their database from information supplied by ELDC. This will be part of the evidence given in the second complaint letter.
- It was decided to ensure that a follow up to our letter to ELDC concerning the state of the Market Place be written, since a reply to the first letter has not been received. A meeting will be requested so that ELDC may see the issues first hand.
- Lincoln Red Cattle sculpture proposed for the Wong. It was decided to support this project and the Society will assist as required.
- Discussion on the Society becoming a CIO. The rules were discussed and changes agreed that would be placed, along with the CIO proposal, before members at the AGM in May.
Correspondence
The Society has been invited by ELDC to a Heritage and Art Match Making Event on 2nd March 2025. AC volunteered to attend on behalf of the Society.
Financial report
The Society’s bank balance is £14,745.73 as of 20/02/2025. Gift Aid up to March 2024 has been applied for and was paid in to the Society account within the week,; it amounted to £217.50.
New website update
All issues with the new website have now been resolved and the IT firm are presently constructing the website. It is scheduled to become live towards the end of February. They have also set up a new email address, to better reflect the Society name, and will be linked to the old Civic Society one to ensure no emails are missed.
Archives update
- The Peter Foster picture archive has now been donated: they are in hard copy and on a memory stick. The copyright has been signed over to the Society.
- The new cupboard donated by Lincolnshire Co-op has been delivered and installed in the archive room.
- The archives now have many framed pictures that rarely get displayed as there is little wall space in the exhibition room. It was suggested that a trellis type board be constructed on a mobile base, so that pictures can be displayed on either side when space permits on the exhibition room floor. It was agreed that this was a good idea. KW volunteered to design and construct it in time for the opening of the JBC in April
Planning Report
Michael to provide a copy of the planning report for the minutes.
Future Events
- Ideas for the use of donations made in memory of June Benton (Patron of the Society) were discussed. (£100 from Stanhope Hall Committee and £100 from WMH Committee). MS has obtained details of a new display cabinet to be placed in the corner in the exhibition room near the corridor door. Cost would be £643 which would be covered by the above donations and the donated ex-camera club funds in the Society account.
- IM to write a letter to our prospective new Patron to invite her to take on the position.
- A list of walks throughout the year has been compiled and it will be put on the new website.
- A visit to the South Ormsby Estate is still to be arranged.
- 60th Anniversary of the Society is January next year. It was agreed that we need to get an oral history from Pearl Wheatley as she was the driving force behind the Society’s creation. MS to arrange.
- A visit to the backroom of the Lincolnshire Archives in Lincoln, will be arranged as soon as is practical, must likely in August.
- It was confirmed that there will be another test pit survey carried out this year, led by KW, although it will be on an ad-hoc basis due to difficulties encountered in 2023 coordinating all those involved.
A visit to the Winceby Battle in conjunction with the Battlefield Trust will be arranged for October which is when the battle took place.
Any Other Business
It is requested that members seriously consider volunteering to serve on the Executive Committee.
Date of Next Meeting
11 April 2025
Exec meeting 10 Jan 2025
Exec meeting 27 Sep 2024
New Chairman for the Society
The Society is delighted that Dr Ian Marshman has accepted the position of Chairman of the Society. He received a unanimous vote at the meeting of the Society on the 20th November 2018. Ian is an Archaeologist and currently works for Lincolnshire County Council as an archaeological planner. He has a special interest in conserving the Roman Wall in the town.
Mary Silverton, on stepping down after seven years as Chairman, stated that she was pleased that under her stewardship the membership of the Society had grown from 30 to 93 members, and was now in a good position to go forward under the guidance of a forward thinking, younger person.
The history of Myers Bakers Brief report on the talk by Michael Myers 19th Sep 2018
Members of Horncastle History and Heritage Society and their guests were thrilled by a real local success story when Michael Myers of Myers Bakery spoke of the history of their business over four generations.
The story started in 1901 when Michael’s Great Grandfather Charles purchased a mill and bakery in Alford was soon to bake the first of their now famous plum loafs. The business prospered but 31 years later his son Lewis appeared to take a side step and bought a store in Southrey. Soon the family returned to their true calling when they purchased the bakery and store in Mareham Le Fen. The business in time was passed to the well remembered Derek Myers and in 1969 the current bakery in the Bull Ring was purchased.
Without giving away all the secrets Michael described how their plum loafs are made illustrated by a BBC “Countryfile” film made in Horncastle. The listeners were amazed to hear that today the apparently small shop employs 36 staff and that their ubiquitous plum loaves are sold in vast numbers all over the UK with about 50% of orders being placed on- line.The family business has expanded into other areas to include a deli , a tea shop and interior decoration store all to the great benefit of the Town.
The evening concluded with a free tasting of the Myers’ wares including their tea loaf.
President Appointed
The Society has elected to have a president for the first time.In recognition of his many years of hard work for the Society, Trevor Butterworth MBE was asked and we are pleased to say accepted this position
Town conservation society elects first President.
The recently held Annual General Meeting of Horncastle History and Heritage Society was made significant by the members electing their very first president. Trevor Butterworth has been an active member and officer of the group for as long as most people can remember, a past chairman he has only just relinquished the post of secretary.
Earlier in the year the Society was honoured when Francis Dymoke agreed to become their patron. In her report the Chairman Mary Silverton thanked Trevor and the committee for their support and noted that the past year had been particularly successful with the membership rising from 78 to 95. During the year the Society had found a new home for its archive at Watson’s Yard, West Street thanks to the generosity of the Photographic Society.
The Town archive which is now tended by 8 volunteer members has received major boost project with the receipt of a large quantity of material from the collection of the noted local historian David Robinson. Sadly David a “Town Boy” and a long time supporter of the society died last year. Mary also noted the loss of the long serving treasurer David Platt earlier this year.
As well as the well attended bi-monthly meetings held at the Admiral Rodney the Society had organised a number of activities most notably a trip to Ayscoughee Hall and the Spalding Gentlemen’s Society. The Society will be actively engaged with the Town’s Roman wall project and the Armistice Celebrations in November.
The election of officers resulted in Mary being re-elected as Chairman, Julie Bates, Secretary, Ruth Addison Treasurer and Chrissie Chapman Membership Secretary.
Submitted by Bob Wayne
Talk by Francis Dymoke 20th September 2017
A talk about the hereditary Champions of England and the Dymoke Family history
A Champion Tale.
One of the principle aims of the Horncastle History and Heritage Society is to connect members with the history that happened quite literally on their doorstep in this part of Lincolnshire.
The speaker at last Wednesday’s meeting held at the Society’s new Home at Watson’s Yard was Francis Dymoke whose family have lived at Scrivelsby from the days of the Norman conquest and have been the sovereigns champion for 34 generations. Francis started by stressing that although the title of Sovereign’s Champion is attached to the holding of the Scrivelsby Estate the actual appointment is only made at a coronation. Francis’ father Col John Dymoke became Queen’s Champion when he took part in the coronation of Queen Elisabeth ll. At a future coronation Francis will have to offer his services and if accepted would almost certainly become King’s Champion.
Should Francis become his family’s 35th Champion his contribution to the ceremony is unlikely to equal that of his illustrious forbear Henry Dymoke who entered the banquet at Westminster Hall that followed George lV’s coronation wearing a gleaming suit of armour riding on a white charger to throw down his gauntlet 4 times as a challenge to anyone who disputed the King’s position.
In the lively question and answer session that followed almost inevitably the first question was could Francis ride a horse? Hopes were expressed by members that we may see this tradition revived at a future coronation.
We are proud to report that Francis Dymoke agreed at the meeting to become a patron of the society thus emphasising again the strong links between the Dymoke family and the town of Horncastle.
| The gauntlet used by Henry Dymoke and one of the gold cups presented to Champions by the Monarch are shown in this photo of Francis Dymoke and the chairman, Mary Silverton. |
Horncastle History & Heritage Society
