STOKE ST MARY AND DISTRICT HISTORY GROUP

                               STOKE ST MARY HISTORY GROUP

                              ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Held on Tuesday, April 29th 2025 at Stoke St. Mary Village Hall

Attending – from the committee:          

Tom Mayberry, Graham Salter, John Tarr, Sarah Baddeley, Jenny Joslin,  Maxine Homer, Tony O’Connor.

Apologies received from Stephanie Crockett, John and Tricia Pugh.

Around 30 others [members and guests] also attended.

A welcome was made by Graham Salter (president), then a short AGM was held:

Election/re-election of committee:

Tom Mayberry was re-elected as chairman (proposed by Maxine Homer and seconded by Frances Kirk)

John Pugh was re-elected as treasurer.

The committee of Stephanie Crockett, Sarah Baddeley, Jenny Joslin, Tony O’Connor, Graham Salter and Maxine Homer were all  re-elected. (proposed by Frances Kirk and seconded by Philip Joslin).

No matters arising.

Tom made his Chairman’s report – see attached.

Secretary’s report – The activities of the Group was covered by the Chairman’s report and a list of proposed events for the year 2025/26 shown in the leaflet distributed prior to the meeting. [on the website].

The treasurer’s report was available for anyone interested and is attached..

A very interesting talk was given by Julia Manning on “The Decline of Eel particulary in Somerset”

Sarah Baddeley

Chairman's Report

The AGM of the History Group took place on 23 April 2024 when we were pleased to welcome Tricia Pugh to the committee. In addition, five committee meetings were held during the year. At the AGM Dr Richard Brunning of the South West Heritage Trust told us about Somerset's remarkable Iron Age lake villages at Godney and Meare, explaining the wider archaeological landscape in which they stood and the outstanding finds they have yielded.

On 24 May we visited Smeatharpe airfield, where Brian Lane-Smith explained its association with the American army and the D Day landings in June 1944. After visiting the site museum we walked to the evocative remains of the airfield itself which stands high in the Blackdown Hills on the borders of Devon and Somerset.

Two events at St Thomas's Church, Thurlbear, were supported by the History Group during the year. On 8 May a talk about the history of the Norman church explored its architectural significance as well as introducing us to some of the memorable personalities who filled the church's later history. The event began with the ringing of the great medieval bells and ended with everyone singing the hymn used at the closing service in 1988. On 14 September the church welcomed 40 visitors as part of Heritage Open Days. Hosted by the Churches Conservation Trust, the event included tea and cake and, for the brave few, a trip to the top of the tower.

We were at Staple Fitzpaine on 22 August to discover more about the village. After lunch at the Greyhound we first visited St Peter's Church. Its west tower of about 1500 has been called 'one of greatest masterpieces of English architecture'. A short distance down the lane from the church, past a recently-identified Roman site, we were kindly welcomed by the Lister family at Staple Park Farm. We saw its rare thatched threshing barn, heard stories of the farm itself, including its ghost, and looked across the evocative expanse of the medieval  deer park. The day ended at Castle Neroche where we climbed to the top of Castle Beacon in the afternoon sunshine and imagined ourselves in the years just after the Norman Conquest when William the Conqueror's half-brother created a stronghold there.

On 29 October we welcomed John Strickland, an expert on North Somerset history, to speak at the village hall. He told us the dramatic story of the Nomen, a three-masted trading vessel shipwrecked off the Somerset coast in March 1897. John explained how its crew were rescued by the Burnham lifeboat and how the hospitality of local people to the stranded mariners even extended to the captain's Great Dane. The ghostly timbers of the Norncn still emerge from the sands at low water a little distance from Berrow Church.

On 20 November we visited the manor house at Curry Mallet. The house, which in its present form dates from 14th century and later, is associated with one of the barons who signed Magna Carta and with the Pyne family. Their coat of arms can still be seen in some of the manor's 17th-century panelling.

On 18 January over 40 people gathered at Dairy House Farm to take part once more in the ancient wassail ceremony. This year Vic Freir agreed to be our wassail king and led us into the darkness to the chosen apple tree. He poured cider round its roots and left toast for the robins. Then Jon Tarr fired a shotgun through the branches, as tradition demands. After we had sung the Somerset wassail song, we returned to the barn for cider and excellent music provided by Derek Parsons and the band. We're very grateful to the Parsons family for making this happy occasion possible.

Finally, on 25 February, we heard a talk on the Somerset artist Sarah Biffin. Sarah was born without arms or legs at East Quantoxhead in 1784 but transcended disability to became one of the most accomplished miniature painters of her time. Her life of determined struggle ended in poverty in Liverpool, but her achievements are remarkable. A magnificent self­portrait was recently acquired by the Museum of Somerset.

One oral history recording was completed during the year, and good progress is now being made towards the completion and publication of the history of Stoke St Mary.

We are, as ever, very grateful to all those who serve on the History Group Committee. Stephanie Crockett, our Secretary, deserves particular thanks for taking on so much of the organizational burden. We're very grateful as well to Sarah Baddeley who maintains the group's excellent website, and to John Pugh, our long-serving Honorary Treasurer. We're very pleased that Graham Salter continues to be our President and brings his knowledge and enthusiasm to so much that we do

.

Tom Mayberry

Chairman