Trustees

Following our AGM in January Derrick Williams has stepped down and our present Trustees are

Peter Bonvoisin (Chair)                                                 01633 400208

John Nettleship  Caerwent CC  (Secretary)                  01291 420745

Mark Lewis (Archivist)                                                 01291 431599

Jennifer Powell  Caerwent Church  (Treasurer)            01291 421086

Jan Hewlett (Membership)                                            01633 400817

John Barnard  Custodian Westgate Barns                   01291 424950

For correspondence:              John Nettleship  Rose Cottage  Five Lanes  Caerwent  Gwent

john@rose-cottage.freeserve.co.uk                       NP26  5PQ

With his enthusiasm for the countryside and open-air history Derrick has made an enormous contribution.  He has also left us with a considerable photographic record.

 

50 years of Wildlife on the Neddern

Talk: Tuesday May 13th at 7.30pm

It’s fifty years ago that Colin Titcombe started to keep a record of the wildlife of the wetlands, downstream of Caerwent Brook.  He will be sharing this remarkable record, accompanied by his own colour slides, in the Westgate Barns, Caerwent.

 

The Neddern Valley

Walk: Saturday May 24th 2.30pm

As a follow up to his talk Colin will guide us to some of the areas of interest between Caerwent’s Brook and Caldicot Castle.  Basically this means the Neddern wetlands SSSI, which may be bone dry by then.  Alternatively if the monsoon of 2006 is repeated there will have been a resurgence of Llyn Liwan, in which case bring your coracle.  Whatever the weather we will meet at Cadw’s car park, Westgate Barns, Caerwent.

 

Archaeological Display

For many years a small collection of artifacts was displayed in the porch of Caerwent Parish Church.  More recently a different collection occupied a cabinet in the nave.  All these items have been kept in store by Andrew Helme, Head of Monmouthshire Museums Service and are due to return to Caerwent in the very near future.  This time they will be in the Westgate Barns, hopefully by the time you receive this Newsletter.  Access will be limited due to the restricted opening times of the Barns, usually 10am to 4pm Tuesdays only, but if you have a special interest contact John Barnard or the Secretary as above.

 

The Royal Naval Propellant Factory Caerwent

For 10 years we had access to Mr Alexander’s comprehensive account of the great factory at Dinham but for those of us who didn’t work there it has been difficult to imagine what occupied those empty buildings now used mainly as a military training area.

But in January, out of the blue, came a phone call from John England, formerly of the Naval Ordnance Inspection staff: “Would we like a Photo Album . . . . ?” – you bet we would!  Hence the photo of the Power Station last month and more to come.  So belated thanks to Mr England, it was very kind of him to think of us.

 

(414) May 2008