(The following is an extract from the first edition of the Harbury & Ladbroke News May 1974)
The Harbury Society was formed as a direct result of the Parish Meeting held in the village in October 1973 to protest against the proposed demolition of the Manor House. Shortly after the meeting, a group of interested people met to discuss the possibility of forming a society which would be properly organised to deal with any future threat to historic buildings in the village. It was agreed that the aims of the society would be to promote an interest in the history of the village through research and the collection of pictorial and documentary material, to carry out regular surveillance of matters relating to the environment of the village and the surrounding countryside, and to study community amenities. It was also felt to be important that members should be fully informed about the legal aspects of environmental affairs, particularly in relation to planning and conservation.
Groups of members have been meeting regularly to make a survey of all buildings in the village with the intention of trying to get some parts designated as Conservation Areas. Members have also been keeping an eye on future building developments in the village by regularly inspecting planning applications.
A full programme of monthly meetings and activities is being planned. New members of the society would be most welcome. The Secretary is Linda Ridgley.
Linda served as Secretary to the Society for 40 plus years and was on the committee to celebrate it’s 50th anniversary in 2023. She contributed a huge amount to our activities.
Some of the notable events over the first 50 years have been:
Planning
The Harbury Society has monitored planning applications throughout it’s entire life. For example, the alignment of the M40 was reviewed by way of a public meeting organised by the Society. Those village Conservation Areas mentioned above were successfully established. The Harbury Society provided input to all the local plans and in some cases led their preparation: the Parish Plan, Local Plan, Neighbourhood Development Plan and the Design Statement. There was a survey and listing of key buildings in the mid-1980’s.
The Society is acutely aware of housing pressures and more recently the push for solar panel farms on the local fields which will impact the village views for the next 50 years!
Monthly Talks
Amongst many, many excellent talks a highlight was a series by a local farmer and raconteur Cecil (Bonzo) Bloxham.
Guided Walks and Visits to places of interest
One of the first Harbury Society activities was a guided walk to Chesterton. In addition, picnics and mystery walks were arranged. Cross the Stile was published in 1988. Walks around the area continued until a separate group was established for Wednesday Walkers. The Society continues to organise visits to local villages and places of interest during the spring and summer months. There have been visits to Hook Norton Brewery, Leycester Hospital, the National Herb Centre, local farms, etc, etc.
Collection of Pictorial and Documentary Material
This was led by the individual efforts of Linda and Celia Barratt (another committee member) together with the enthusiasm of Nigel Chapman (the school deputy head alias Mr Gruntfuttoch) who pulled together many photographs and records of aspects of village interest. This supported a display of village archives and a history of village families. ‘Hungry’ Harbury was published in 1981.
This somewhat informal approach was professionalised by Nigel and others to become the highly regarded Harbury Heritage Centre.
Other activities….
A social evening has been held in one of the village pubs annually. The Society has traditionally manned a stall at the Carnival and other village events. Additionally, various photographic quizzes were organised; a subgroup maintained the footpaths; surveys were undertaken of flora and fauna, including trees, (one related to monitoring Dutch elm disease) and hedges; a Jubilee tree was planted on the Old New Inn green; a number of oak saplings were also planted (one of these survives on Bush Heath Lane). Harbury Society members co-hosted the opening of Chesterton Windmill for many years. In 1976 there was a church blessing of the Society.
There has been much, much more.