Settlement Association

[Calthrop]

The coat of arms of the former Metropolitan Borough of Sunderland has "at the top" (I'm no heraldry scholar), a boar. That of Bradford, West Yorkshire, has in the same position -- well, not a whole boar, but the head of one.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Birstall in West Yorkshire was also once administered by the Morley Wapentake.

 

[D6130]

Birstall unfortunately gained infamy just over eight years ago as the place where Labour MP Jo Cox was assassinated. She was born in nearby Batley.

 

[Calthrop]

St. Albans, Hertfordshire, is also of note in the biscuit-manufacturing field. The head office of Fox's Biscuits is in Batley; that of Burton's Biscuit Co., is in St. Albans.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire was also the scene of a battle during the Wars of the Roses.

 

[Calthrop]

Tewkesbury has "twinning-ish type" ties with Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury in Quebec, Canada -- would seem a nice attempt at countering the sometimes-perceived overlooking of Quebec's Anglophone minority. There would appear to be rather few town-twinnings between settlements in Canada, and any in the British Isles; however, Regina (Saskatchewan) is twinned with Athenry, Co. Galway.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Clarinbridge in County Galway also lies on the line of the River Clarin.

 

[Calthrop]

Clarinbridge, and Galway city: would seem nowadays to hold, at the beginning of September (start of the oyster season -- "r" in the month, etc.), rival Oyster Festivals. On our side of the water: West Mersea, Essex, is also a big player on the oyster scene.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Virley in Essex was also once administered by the ancient Hundred of Winstree.

 

[Calthrop]

Wivenhoe, Essex, also suffered damage in the "Colchester Earthquake" of 1884.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Great Horkesley in Essex was also once administered by the ancient Hundred of Lexden.

 

[Calthrop]

One learns that there is -- or has been until recently -- a body called "Bats in Churches": run by conservationists / bat aficionados, and endeavouring to reconcile many old churches' being favoured places for bats to roost; and the not always totally compatible priorities of clergy / congregations / lovers of beautiful-and-venerable buildings. All Saints' Church, Great Horkesley, is one which has been in receipt of the services of this outfit: it has a population of several bat species -- pipistrelle, brown long-eared, serotine, Natterer's, and possibly the scarce Leisler's. St. Peter's Church at Askham, Cumbria (a little way south of Penrith) is in like case: it plays host to pipistrelle, brown long-eared, and soprano bats.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Keld in Cumbria also lies on the line of the River Lowther.

 

[Calthrop]

Struggling a bit; there is another village of Keld "up north" -- this other one being in North Yorkshire, in Swaledale: a little over twenty miles south-east of the Cumbrian Keld.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Moor Row in Cumbria also lies on the route of the long-distance footpath called the Coast to Coast Walk.

 

[Calthrop]

An interesting trade-off in Moor Row in recent years -- whereby a chapel has been converted into a car workshop; and the former Working Men's Institute building has been converted into a chapel, with a war-memorial mural painted on its gable. A kindred "repurposing" has occurred in Bedford, where the former St. Luke's Church has been converted into a theatre.

Mention of Moor Row always gives me a smile -- remembering from well over fifty years ago, plans by the group of youthful railway enthusiasts with whom I "hung out", concerning possible brake-van trips to explore lines in those parts, then active for freight only. One of these chaps -- a southerner, tending not to be au fait with stuff "up north" in general -- in some confusion, "parsed" the name of the place as "Moon Row". Pleasantly -- if unintentionally -- poetic / surreal, I feel ...

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Sorry for the lack of postings yesterday. My desktop computer was suffering from heat exhaustion.

Rossett in Wrexham County Borough also has a church that is dedicated to Christ the King.

 

[Calthrop]

Sorry for the lack of postings yesterday. My desktop computer was suffering from heat exhaustion

No worries -- in present climatic conditions: strain felt all round, I reckon -- by "humans and other things".

Rossett in Wrexham County Borough also has a church that is dedicated to Christ the King.

Russ Abbott -- musician, actor, and comedian -- lived for a time in Rossett. Among very many venues at which Mr. Abbott has performed live in theatrical works: is the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Nuneaton in Warwickshire also has a Sikh Gudwara.

 

[DerekC]

The political writer and novelist George Eliot (aka Mary Anne Evans) was born near Nuneaton. She led a complicated life considered scandalous in those days, including a relationship with one of my ancestors. She is buried in Highgate Cemetery.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

West Twyford in the London Borough of Ealing was also once administered by the ancient Hundred of Ossulstone.

 

[Calthrop]

Sutton Coldfield (City of Birmingham) also has a Lebanese restaurant.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Chilfrome in Dorset also has a church that is dedicated to the Holy Trinity.

 

[Calthrop]

Chilfrome lies on the Macmillan Way long-distance footpath from Abbotsbury (Dorset) to Boston (Lincolnshire); as does Warmington, Northamptonshire (a little way east of Oundle).

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Just out of interest, is the name of that settlement similar to the one where Captain Wainwaring and his Home Guard platoon were supposed to be based in the TV series? Only ever heard the name spoken, never saw it written.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire also lies on the route of the long-distance footpath known as the Nene Way.

 

[D6130]

Just out of interest, is the name of that settlement similar to the one where Captain Wainwaring and his Home Guard platoon were supposed to be based in the TV seies?

ISTR that was Walmington-on-Sea....based loosely on Seaford, East Sussex - but filmed in Thetford, Norfolk in the TV series and original film - and in Bridlington Old Town, East Riding of Yorkshire in the recent remake with Toby Jones and Bill Nighy. Meanwhile:

Birkenhead in Merseyside also had a combined road/rail swing bridge.

 

[Calthrop]

Just out of interest, is the name of that settlement similar to the one where Captain Wainwaring and his Home Guard platoon were supposed to be based in the TV seies?

By my understanding, similar but not identical (and if I recall rightly, pronounced almost identically) -- Walmington-on-Sea is where hang out, the Captain's doughty warriors who will -- should the worst happen -- give the Teutonic hordes pause in their remorseless advance ...

Sutton Bridge in Lincolnshire also lies on the route of the long-distance footpath known as the Nene Way.

King John's misfortune in 1216: involving, in his harried travels, the loss of the Crown Jewels and other valuable Crown possessions; is reckoned to have occurred near present-day Sutton Bridge (geography hereabouts was rather different eight hundred years ago). John died only a little later, in that same year, at the castle of Newark, Nottinghamshire. (I can't help feeling just a little sorry for poor John: not a nice person, but not a fortunate one either. The only likeable thing about him, that I recall ever hearing: is, that he was a keen bibliophile -- a rare thing back then, especially for a layman.)

 

[Calthrop]

ISTR that was Walmington-on-Sea....based loosely on Seaford, East Sussex - but filmed in Thetford, Norfolk in the TV series and original film - and in Bridlington Old Town, East Riding of Yorkshire in the recent remake with Toby Jones and Bill Nighy.

Johnannes Rex loquitur: a murrain on that accursed churl @D6130, who hast dared to pre-empt mine chronicler and (albeit very tepid) admirer. Should it be in mine power to lay hands on the varlet, by the Mass he shall suffer the torments of... [the King's confessor, and his chief nurse / keeper, arrive; and gently lead him off to his chambers, for polite rebukes and soothing potions to be administered...]

 

[Calthrop]

Birkenhead in Merseyside also had a combined road/rail swing bridge.

Also twinned with a coastal settlement in Italy, near Rome: is Ardee, Co. Louth, Ireland (perhaps a bit oddly, Ardee is located inland). Birkenhead's "twin" is Latina; Ardee's is Nettuno.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Brecon in Powys also hosts an annual Baroque Festival.