General election landslide, Church heating crisis, death of old friends, sale of the cricket pavillion, monitoring the weather and the registers, early close for the school and successful inspections.   (note the Bisham Parish Report from 1922 is missing)
My dear friends, this is my twenty-fourth Parish Letter and report and I may for a change, begin with an expression of thanks to all who help the Church and Parish with subscriptions and in other ways. Perhaps some will read the beginning of the letter and thus see that their help is appreciated, who may not find the letter sufficiently interesting to read to the end.
Mr Somerville was returned for our division of Berkshire by one of the largest majorities in England, and he did not indulge in piecrust promises. (he served until 1942)

Mr Young kindly undertook to have the Church heating system examined. This was done and the engineers reported that the whole system was bad and that it would cost £300 or £400.  Later in the year Mr Edward Marson very generously offered to give the Church a new boiler.  This offer was gratefully accepted from his executors. 
Death of Colonel Frank Wethered.  “He died in Tenerife in August, his energetic work for the Volunteers and Territorials will not soon be forgotten”. Such men can ill be spared. The Wethered family owned the brewery in Marlow and provided employment for many people.  Also Mrs Young will be missed. 
A confirmation service was held at Bisham on February 16th 1923, for the first time since 1914, Revd Farrer had expressed his hope for a confirmation service in his last letter. Bishop Shaw confirmed 23 candidates 13 boys and 10 girls, and 8 from Stubbings. The year ended with a balance in hand in the general account, £ 2-19-10  spent on gas mantles and £20-18-0 on concreting the lychgate.  All would agree, the less we have to talk about money in church the better.  “The sword of St Michael (on the War Tablet) was broken by some careless person one day early in September. It has been replaced, but no one yet has offered to pay the bill.” 
The Summer of 1922 was most disappointing. Towards the end of May we enjoyed some really hot days and on the 22nd bathing began.  Two or three boys swam across the river and over 20 were learning. The temperature and rainfall have been recorded by the school children during the year:  their rainfall total was 24.58 inches, agreeing very closely with the Vicarage total.
It necessary to close the school a week earlier than usual in Summer 1922, as attendance had fallen as low as 44 due to the prevalence of measles.  Measles, scarlet fever, diphtheria and whooping cough were the common childhood diseases and they were killers.  The number on the school books in April 1923 was a healthy 129 and Nora Ellis, the youngest of 7 sisters in Plumtree Cottage, was the winner of the Bishop’s essay prize.   
PS  “Since this letter was written, news reached us that Sir Henry was very seriously ill.  On Sunday the 6th May he read the Lessons as usual, so the sad news was quite unexpected. The sympathy and prayers of all in Bisham are with him at this time, and also with Lady Vansittart Neale in her anxiety”.

Episode researched, written and narrated by Sheila Featherstone-Clark based on The Bisham Parish Report of May 1923. Revd W Farrer is voiced by Nigel Greenwich 

Photo is of Bisham Vicarage from the churchyard. 

Sound effects from www.Freesound.org.  Bell ringing, Handbell for the school etc.

The Abbots curse, Margaret’s dovecote, the spring bird, the Brinkhurst brasses. Why Anne of  Cleves did not want to live at Bisham and Sir Philip Hobbye did.

Bisham Abbey is well known as a National Sports Centre ; however its historical importance is more impressive.  It was originally part of the Bisham Estate which was dismantled in 1965. This included the Abbey, the village and land situated around a shallow crossing point on the River Thames; now known as Bondig’s Bank, named after the Saxon lord who owned the land. 

In the Domesday Book of 1086, this area was recorded as Bisteham, owned by Henry de Ferrars.  The building known as Bisham Abbey became a fortified monastery, and by 1260, was a base of the powerful Knights Templar who built the Abbey.  In the 1300s King Edward II granted Bisham to the powerful Montacute family, the Earls of Salisbury.  They established the priory of Austin Canons in 1337. This family was to remain at Bisham for around 200 years. They were wealthy, and very influential, owning significant lands and the right to levy tolls for the repair of Marlow Bridge. 

There is a spring, which folk legend suggested was holy and had miraculous properties which could cure blindness. Pilgrims came from far afield to take its waters and to pet the tame bird that lived there.  The wealthiest and most powerful English peer of the time (mid 1400s) was a Salisbury, Richard Neville, also known as Warwick the Kingmaker,  is buried at Bisham, although the exact location is not known.   Henry Viii  often hunted in the local woods to escape “the small-pox and measles but also the great sickness” (the plague) and Margaret, Countess of Salisbury was a good friend of Catherine of Aragon (Henrys first wife).  Margaret was responsible for building the circular dovecote with the revolving ladder which still stands today at Bisham. (anon, n.d.)   After the break with Rome and the change to Protestantism,  Margaret remained a staunch catholic,  King Henry executed her son in 1538 and she was sent to the Tower, where two years later, in May 1541 she too was executed, refusing to kneel as a true Plantagenet (anon, n.d.).  She was honoured by the Roman Catholic Church, Blessed Margaret Salisbury – the Saint of Bisham.
Henry intended Bisham to be a place for prayers to be said for the soul of his late, loved Queen, Jane Seymour, who died in 1537.  Thomas Cromwell, Henry’s first minister, closed Bisham Priory six months later on June 19th 1538.   The last Abbot, John Cordery, set a curse on the property which was to hang over future owners. "As God is my witness, this property shall ne’er be inherited by two direct successors, for its sons will be hounded by misfortune" Listen to more of the abbey history episodes to find out what happened to the succession.
 Henry gave Bisham (including Temple Mills) to his fourth wife Anne of Cleves as part of her divorce settlement in 1540.  However she petitioned him to allow her to swap it for a rural, religious property in Suffolk (Westhorpe) that had been surrendered to Henry but granted to Sir Philip Hobbye, a trusted courtier.  
John Brinkhurst  of Temple Mill endowed the almshouses in Oxford Road, Marlow with places for 2 Bisham widows of good character who had lived in the parish for at least 5 years.  The brasses in Bisham Church commemorate him and his wives.
 The transfer of Bisham was finally completed in 1554, Edward VI’s reign, and Sir Philip Hoby (Hobbye) took possession of an estate that was to remain in his family until 1780.
  
 Episode researched, written and narrated by Sheila Featherstone-Clark based on articles in the Berkshire archives.
 Image is the Dovecote and Bisham Abbey taken by Geoff Griffiths

Burial of the unknown soldier, Bisham Memorial Tablet unveiled, start of the school bus from Hurley, carving class delivers, no bathing in July.
Life was taking longer than expected to get back to normal; “In my last letter I referred to the difficulties and anxieties which the years of war had caused, and which had still to be faced with patience and courage.  Our hopes that the troubled sea would calm down have not yet been fulfilled. The past year has been marked by a sad prevalence of doubts, disputes, distractions and fears”. 

November 1920 was the burial of the unknown soldier in London, intended to focus the grief of the nation.  At 10.50 on November 11th, the gun carriage carrying the casket reached the Cenotaph, newly built in Portland stone.  The King added a handwritten note ‘in proud memory of those who died unknown in the Great War. As unknown and yet well-known; as dying and behold they live. George R I November 11th 1920. 
Reverend Farrer records “Meanwhile our parish life has been of the happy kind that has no history. The chief event in our Parish was the completion of our War Memorial in the Church.”  The Memorial Tablet and the Altar Rails were erected in time for the dedication service. “It is a matter of deep satisfaction to us all that we have been able to commemorate those whose names are inscribed upon it in such a handsome and worthy form.” Sixteen names were inscribed.  All who have seen the Memorial with the names so clearly written in letters of gold and the beautiful figures of St Michael and St George on either side are unanimous in their admiration of Mr Cogswell’s design. The tablet itself cost £306-6-0, the rent on George Harding’s house for a year was £14-0-0.

In the School the chief change was, “The decision of the Berkshire Education Committee to send children from Hurley to our school.  Some 20 children are conveyed from and to Hurley by motor car daily. We received a most generous gift of money for a Treat for the school children at Christmas.  The gift was very much appreciated and the children had a very happy evening.   
The Women’s Institute had a very successful first year, the meetings were well attended and were very popular.  “The Carving Class in the Church was held about 30 times and Mr A. Ellis and Mr Jones kindly helped me on those evenings. The attendance was lowered by the counter attraction of the billiard table at the Institute.”  The Billiard Table and the New Room and Cloak Rooms added greatly to the attraction of the Club.
The rainfall for 1920 was 3 inches below the average of 25.03 inches. July was very wet and cold 5.46 was the fall in the month.  The cold weather made bathing unpopular.
The football club had a very successful season, the games have been well contested and much enjoyed. 

Episode researched, written and narrated by Sheila Featherstone-Clark based on The Bisham Parish Report of May 1921.  Revd W Farrer is voiced by Nigel Greenwich. 

Episode Image is the War Memorial Tablet in Bisham Church.  
Sound effects from www.Freesound.org.  Last Post (MIDI Bugle by Neville Young) Organ playing (FK_Prod), Handbell for the school (Webbfilmsuk) , cricket match (Oroboros). 

The War Years music is Shine by Herb Wiedoeft and the Cinderella Roof Orchestra from 1923.

The first 2 minutes silence, Women’s Institute comes to Bisham,  football club success, Expansion of the Bisham Institute  New Billiard table and ladies join club.
Revd Farrer reflected on Winter 1919 in his report of May 1920. "It was a great pleasure to Mrs Farrer and myself to welcome once again the members of our Choir to a dinner at the Vicarage in the Autumn" The choir was in good voice at that time and comprised around 15 people including both Frederick and George Harding.  The Farrers were involved in all aspects of the village life and entertaining at the vicarage was a key part of that.  Victorian vicarages were built with this in mind.

1919 was the first formal Remembrance Day.  11th November at 11am. "All locomotion should cease, so that, in perfect stillness, the thoughts of everyone may be concentrated on reverent remembrance of the glorious dead."

It was reported that everything and everyone stopped: The minutiae of everyday life ceased completely The Times “a great awful silence”. There had been no instructions about where people should observe the silence most chose to go outdoors to stand silently in a public place.  Lady V-VN  11 November 1919  2 min: silence Remembrance & Prayer at 11 a.m. Rang big bell. “Still to this day, the casualties and deaths in the First World War have not been surpassed for Britain, even in the Second World War. 

School was running well under the leadership of Mr Jones with around 100 pupils. Major and Mrs Faudel-Philips kindly invited the whole school to tea at Stoney Ware (the riverside mansion) at Christmas time.

A Women’s Institute was started in Bisham.  The programme was introduced by Mrs Paget at the Abbey on April 22 1920. Mrs Paget daughter of Sir Henry and Lady Florence who married Capt Paget – in the Abbey Wedding Episode. ”These Institutes have proved a great success in many places.”   
The rainfall for the year (1919) was 27’82, five inches in December. "The winter was a warm one,  The cuckoo was heard as early as April 9th ten days earlier than usual.” 

 “We congratulate the Football Club on winning the Wargrave Cup for the third time.
The Bisham Club and Institute was established in 1888, in a building built on land given to the village by Edward Neale Esquire who became its first president.  The society is a Working Man’s Club and shall be called the Bisham Club and Institute and its registered office shall be the Club-room, Bisham in the county of Bucks. The Menu for the inaugural Dinner ..

We are happy to be able to hold this meeting in the new addition to the premises which we thank Sir Henry for having built and I hope it will prove a boon to the village.  The membership has increased from 27 to 84.  The Billiard Table presented by Sir Henry has proved a great asset to the Club. 
Revd Farrer reports  that Major and Mrs Faudel-Philips were leaving Bisham.  

“With thanks of the Parish, together with my own, to all who help us in so many ways, and I must conclude this long letter.”   I remain yours sincerely,  W. Farrer

Episode researched, written and narrated by Sheila Featherstone-Clark based on The Bisham Parish Report of May 1920. 
Revd W Farrer is voiced by Nigel Greenwich, George Harding is voiced by Derek Tydeman and Lady Vansittat-Neale by Shirley Jenkins-Pandya.
Image is the programme for the Opening of the New Wing.  
Sound effects from www.Freesound.org.  Bells , Handbell for the school, rain, celebration and coin. 
Series music is Shine by Herb Wiedorfd and the Cinderella Roof Orchestra

Change in the Church, the Bishop visits, Peace Day festivities in the rain, design of the war memorial unveiled, and Bananas for the school treat. 
“I spoke last year of the noble way in which the men of Bisham answered the call of their country, and the service also of the women, the hardest perhaps of all being that of those whose duty it was to “stand and wait!”  The strain fell on all in various degrees and now we have all to do our part in “building-up”.  The present is a difficult and anxious time for us all. ” The waves of the storm which raged for 4 years cannot be expected to subside in a moment, or in a year, perhaps not in many years.  Our business however is to ‘bear one another’s burdens’ and to ‘go forward’” 

The main events of the year took place in the summer of 1919
The passing of The Church of England Assembly Act in December 1919 was a significant event for the Church of England as the established church.  As specified by the Act, an Electoral Roll of the congregation was duly made for Bisham.   The initial Parish Church Council (PCC) was elected; some of the names may be familiar: Mr W Alloway, Mr Jerrams, Mrs Brown, Mr H.A Jones, Mrs Cook, Mrs Kelly, Mr W Ellis, Mr Harry Paine, Mrs W Farrer, Mrs H Randall, Mrs Harding, Mr Gilbert Shaw, Mr F Harding, Lady Vansittart Neale, Miss Vansittart Neale and the sidesmen: Mr G Harding, Mr W.G Jones and Mr Albert Paine.   It is not surprising that the same village names occur in positions of responsibility.   

The Memorial Cross, erected by Lady Kelly, on a piece of ground given by the Vansittart Neale family at the corner of Temple Lane, was dedicated  on June 18th 1919.   This was not the official War Memorial which was to be in the church

Peace Day was celebrated on Saturday July 19th 1919. Lady Florence wrote; Gloomy looking morning.   Festivities all over England. In Bisham a Dinner was held for the soldiers and sailors.  70 were invited and “of the 46 attended, 32 were educated at Bisham School and we were not a little proud of our boys.   Each guest was provided with an ounce of tobacco and a packet of cigarettes.  

A cricket match was played and swings were erected for the children. “Sports and tea went on all day with as many as 300 enjoying the happy reunion”.  Rain fell gently during the afternoon which made it necessary to have tea and games and dancing in the school.  Tea was held in relays of a hundred persons, and the fare consisted of bread and butter, jam sandwiches, cake, rock cakes, and buns.  Over a hundred children were given a “Peace Mug” each as a souvenir. The cost of the celebrations was £66-6-10 which was more than covered by subscriptions to the Peace Day Fund.  £114– 1-1 had been raised.  A School Treat was given on July 24th 1919.  The chief entertainment was an hour or two spent in boats and punts and a visit the Abbey.  Tea and sport came later.

The design for the war memorial tablet by Mr Cogswell was approved.  It will be a “framework of alabaster against the Vestry wall, standing 6ft 9 in. in height and a tablet of black marble with the names of our 16 soldiers in white and gold.
"I try to make this letter short without much success. There are so many subjects which require mention." and you can hear more about this year in another episode

Episode researched, written and narrated by Sheila Featherstone-Clark based on The Bisham Parish Report of May 1920.  Revd W Farrer is voiced by Nigel Greenwich and Lady Vansittart Neale by Shirley Jenkins-Pandya. 

Image is All Saints Bisham Church in 2020
Sound effects downloaded from www.Freesound.org.  including  handbell, crowd noises, coin, cricket and monkeys. Details available.
War Years music is Shine by Herb Wiedorf and the Cinderella Roof Orchestra from 1923

Victory, remembering the sacrifices made by local families, another change at the school, finance and War Savings, no dances at the Institute, an April blizzard. 
The War news was positive by May 1919; “From July to November came the unbroken record of successes in the war. During those months the British Armies took 188,700 prisoners and 2,840 guns.  On November 11th – a date long to be remembered – came the news that the war was ended.

“In our rejoicing however we have always in mind the sacrifices and the sorrows which have fallen on all and on some families with special severity.  Mr and Mrs Bennett lost two of their sons, Charles and Frederick, and Sidney, one of our youngest soldiers, was severely wounded on April 14th 1918.  Arthur Talbot another of our youngest soldiers was killed in action on Sept 1st.  George Brooks also who died at Salonika, although living at Hurley, was really a Bishamite.”

Mrs Kelly inscribed some of the names on the Cross designed by Eric Gill, the controversial Art and Crafts sculptor and typographer, to stand on the corner where the road branches to Temple, in memory of her brother Septimus, who was killed in action on November 13, 1916.

During the War the Abbey had been offered as a convalescent hospital for wounded Canadian and Belgian soldiers run by Lady Florence (covered in a BBC programme) and her VAD nurses.  Lady Florence’s Vansittart Neale also recorded events in her diary including the progress of her daughter Phyllis who had a severe attack of influenza.(full story in the Influenza Strikes episode)

Unfortunately Mr Crook, the schoolmaster and Parish Clerk, suffered a return of the illness from which he suffered after serving in the Army.  His doctor advised him to give up school work, so a new master was required after less than a year and of course that naturally meant losing Mrs Crook too.

The school managers fund reports balanced expenditure of £32 – 10 – 6 for the year.  This included £2-2-6 for prizes however the cost of insurance was due to rise to £5,000 from £3-13-9.  Income from the education committee provided only 3-2-0, parents paid £2-14-0 and Mrs Owen Williams of Temple House gave £3-3-0.  The sale of Needlework made by the pupils raised £1-16-7, against to the cost of materials of twice that.  To give some context the cost of producing the parish report was £2-18-6, the choir boys were paid £7-7-9 and the coal club spent £9-12-6.  It is clear that at this time much of the funding of village activities came from donations from the ‘well to do’ residents.

The Institute was kept open during the war but no dances etc. were held and members’ subscriptions were few.  “Consequently £13 or £14 was found to be owing to the treasurer although Mrs and Miss Harding had saved the Club several pounds by their work and by providing wood for the fires.  Sir Henry kindly gave £4 to help out and Captain Kelly £5.

The rainfall for 1918 was recorded as 26 inches with September and July being very wet (5”each) and the first 3 months of 1919 giving 10 inches. “April was persistently cold with a blizzard on Sunday April 27th which reminded us of a similar one April 25th 1908

“We greet you, brothers, to the nobler strife
Of building up the newer larger life”   John Oxenden 1902  Thank God for Peace 

Artwork is the Eric Gill designed memorial cross in Bisham.
Revd Farrer is voiced by Nigel Greenwich, Lady Vansittart Neale by Shirley Jenkins Pandya and the Narrator is Sheila Featherstone-Clark who devised the series. 

The impact of the influenza pandemic following WW1 was felt by millions of people in all walks of life.
The Abbey family did not escape, especially Phyllis who served as a VAD nurse in France.  It was estimated that 50 million people died, many were younger people, weakened by four years of war.   Lady Florence and Sir Henry Vansittart Neale had already lost their son George to appendicitis age 14 in his first term at Eton, so Phyllis being very ill was especially difficult and worrying for them.
Lady Florence Vansittart Neale kept a diary during the war which is now held at the Berkshire Record office (BRO) in Reading as part of the Bisham Abbey collection.  The entries provide a local source for this episode and are voiced by Shirley Jenkins-Pandya. 

The Abbey History episodes unveil the history of the historic Bisham Abbey and the two families who lived in it over the past 400 years, from Lady Hoby to Mrs Paget.   From wealth to death duties, there is a curse, ghosts, gold coins and special ladies. They are part of the series In the Shadow of the Abbey which also includes the War Years and the Village Stories.

Series devised researched and written by Sheila Featherstone-Clark with thanks to many others.
Sound effects from Freesound.org; Ultradust -champagne, Keith Selmes for the train, MrOptimism for the old telephone.
Music: Artie Shaw, 'It has to be you' from http;//www.jazz-on-line.com
Artwork is a formal portrait of Phyllis Vansittart Neale probably the last to be painted of the family according to the BRO it is by Helen Donald Smith in the style of Ellis Roberts.

Hoping for the end of the Great War, local boys missing in action, great work at the school, death of the good greyhead from Temple and a cause for celebration.
Revd Farrar is optimistic in May 1918 as he reflects on the past year and writes:  ‘Hope springs eternal’ – we have to go on hoping that the end of the war may be drawing nigh.”  It was hoped that the Americans joining the war last year would hasten this, however, “the collapse of Russia has enabled our enemies to mass enormous forces on the Western Front.  Sacrifices have been called for from all in the matter of restriction of articles of food and drink etc, but in the face of the immeasurably greater sacrifices demanded of our soldiers and sailors, and those who minister to them in foreign lands, and never forgetting those who have given their lives for us – all have patiently and with good heart borne their trials and privations. ‘Be strong and of a good courage is God’s call to us,’ as we must still fight on.”

Many of the village families had sons and husbands serving in the war who were wounded; some of those affected were: John Sandells was reported missing in May, he was wounded in August 1916 but went back to France with a brave heart after some time in hospital.  Robert Plumridge was one of the 5 sons of Mr and Mrs Henry Plumridge who were ‘serving’. He was one of the volunteers in the early days of the War (image). Sergeant George Harding was wounded on October 16th but recovered after some months in Hospital.

Miss Elizabeth Vansittart-Neale was married to Captain LB Paget of the Rifle Brigade on October 20th 1918 in Bisham Church.  ‘Every good wish was expressed, on behalf of the very many, to Captain and Mrs Leo Berkely Paget.’  Reverend Farrer notes that the church registers fail to reveal a similar record of a bride married from Bisham Abbey.  Her marriage carried the hope of a new heir for the Abbey family. 

In Bisham Primary School, after 30 years as Head Master and Infants’ Mistress, Mr and Mrs Atlee resigned their posts. During this time the school had earned high character and received year by year “excellent” reports from the various Inspectors.  The assistant teachers and children showed their esteem by giving them an armchair and lamp, whilst the managers marked their appreciation by a presentation of books.  The accompanying letter spoke of “The great work which they had done in training and building up the characters of a whole generation of children.” 
Work in the churchyard proved difficult and repairs to the church roof were deferred due to the difficulty of getting labour and materials after four years of war.  The three remaining elm trees in the churchyard finally had to be removed as they were, “Not unlikely to cause damage to gravestones, and also the space for burial needed every possible addition.”

A local death was noted: James Theopolis Thomas succeeded in raising Temple Mill from a state of collapse to one of prosperity.  “He was always generous, considerate, and helpful, and his example of how to grow old was one which we should all do well to follow, if we can”.  He was baptized in September 1820 and died on the last day of the old year, 1917.  Yet on Friday, Dec 28th he rode his tricycle into Marlow.  
Revd Farrer reflects that his annual letter becomes longer in spite of his efforts to shorten it. “I think it is not without use and interest as a record of Parish History.”  Indeed it does give us some insight into the life of the parish at this time.

Episode written and narrated by Sheila Featherstone-Clark based on  Bisham Parish Report of May 1918.  Revd Farrer is voiced by Nigel Greenwich. Photo is Robert (Bob) Plumridge on December 6th  1917 (courtesy of Pete James).  Sound effects from www.Freesound.org.  

The War Years episodes are part of the series In The Shadow of the Abbey, telling the stories of the Bisham Estate . They recount life in Bisham Village in the difficult aftermath of WWI (1918 – 1924). They are based mainly on the delightful Bisham Parish reports which were published in May each year covering all aspects of village life over the previous 12 months, including Bisham Primary school, the Institute, the Church and the gentry.  The reports were written by the Revd William Farrer, the much loved vicar of All Saints Bisham.  This was a time when there was no state support for those in need and villagers were called to account for their absence from church on Sunday, by the Lady of the Manor on Monday. 

Reverend William Farrer was born in Marylebone in 1851, he married Edith Sophia Marson, also from Marylebone in the summer of 1880 in London and in 1883 they had a son, Harold Marson.  At that time, being a clergyman was regarded as a very respectable profession.

The right to appoint a vicar to the living of Bisham, the advowson, lay with The Lord of the Manor, Sir Henry Vansittart Neale.  Revd Farrer was appointed in 1899, he had a family connection, being related to Sir Henry’s mother which may have helped him secure the position. He had also been the curate of the parish in 1875-77.  Bisham Vicarage is a large traditional brick Victorian house on the banks of the Thames next to the Church of All Saints Bisham, the Primary school, and just a short walk across the lawns to the Abbey itself where Sir Henry and Lady Mary lived.  Revd Farrer and his family stayed in Bisham Vicarage for 35 years. (Revd Farrer is voiced by Nigel Greenwich.) 

Sir Henry inherited the Bisham Estate in 1892 from his father Edward Vansittart Neale who was considered the father of the co-operative movement. Edward had started to sell off parts of the estate as soon as he inherited it in 1885.  However he also made improvements to the village housing and founded the Bisham Village Institute.  Sir Henry was a popular squire, he married Florence Eddis in 1887, became chief clerk at the Admiralty and was knighted in 1902. Find out more about them in the History of the Abbey section. Extracts from Lady Florence Vansittart Neale’s diary (voiced by Shirley Jenkins Pandya) and other documents add to the story.

The War Years series was devised, researched and written by Sheila Featherstone Clark. Thank you to everyone who has shared memories and documents with me and encouraged and helped me make this happen, you know who you are. I hope you enjoy the result.

The backing music is Shine by Herb Wiedoeft and the Cinderella Roof Orchestra from 1923 from Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Brunswick matrix 11192-11195. Shine / Cinderella Roof Orchestra ; Herb Wiedoeft," accessed November 12, 2020, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/index.php/matrix/detail/2000246833/11192-11195-Shine.

In the Shadow of the Abbey explores the unique history of Bisham Village, telling the story of those who lived in and around Bisham Abbey in Berkshire.  

I am your guide, Sheila Featherstone-Clark, I moved here in 1991.  My journey was triggered by the gift of a picture from Peter, whose family lived in this house for 122 years, I wanted to find out why he and others said: “We had nothing then but we were happy”.  

Travel with me, on a fascinating journey to find out about tragedy in the Abbey and joy in the village. Each episode recounts the history, a personal story or the impact of an event; based on interviews with people who lived here all their lives, local knowledge and documents from the last 300 years.  

Did the curse of Abbott Cordery result in the village being sold for £30,000 in 1965?  Why does Lady Hoby’s ghost wring her hands in the Great Hall, and are Bisham vegetables the secret of long life?  And why was Bisham Abbey the first national sports centre?

Listen with me to explore the poignant past of this special place through sets of episodes about the War Years, the Village Stories and the History of the Abbey.

The War Years is a set of episodes covering the years following WWI (1918 – 1924). They are based on the original Bisham Parish reports written at the time by the much loved vicar of All Saints Bisham.  Gain an intriguing insight into all aspects of village life as told by Revd Farrer and Lady Vansittart Neale. 

The Villagers’ Stories are based on interviews with residents born mainly in the 1930s. These families lived in the village houses, working for the estate, the paper mill, brewery or boatyard. Multiple generations attended Bisham School, played in the woods and requested a house from the Lord of the Manor when they married.  Some are still here. The sale of the estate 1965 and the coming of the by-pass in 1974 changed their idyll forever.  Find out what life was like for them.

The Abbey History – episodes that recount the past of the historic Abbey and the family who lived in it, from Lady Hoby to Mrs Paget.  Bisham Estate was home to only 2 families in over 400 years, hear how the Lord of the Manor of Bisham influenced politics, sport and the history of the village.  From wealth to death duties, there is a curse, ghosts, gold coins and special ladies.

Listen with me and enjoy exploring the stories from Bisham Village, in the Shadow of the Abbey.

The series was devised, researched and written by Sheila Featherstone Clark
The music is by Artie Shaw and his Orchestra, It has to be you   (1938) from Jazz-on-line.com
Painting of Bisham Abbey courtesy of PH.
Thank you to everyone who has encouraged and helped me make this happen, you know who you are.