Chimney Pot Slot No. 3

This week's Chimney Pot Slot comes from Valldemossa in Majorca.

Historic and Mysterious Majorca Slideshow

History and Mystery Show Playlist 19th July 2011

Ultravox - Vienna
Dick and Dom - The Stoke on Trent Song
Lady Gaga - Teeth
Annie Lennox - Love Song for a Vampire
Birthrite - Goodbye Happiness

Tangerine Dream - Grind (Sorcerer OST)
Daftpunk - Around the World
Voice of the Beehive - Monsters and Angels
Howard Jones - Hide and Seek
OMD - Maid of Orleans

Events Listing for 19th July Show

Festival of British Archaeology - now to 31st July
http://www.facebook.com/archaeology.for.all
@FestivalofArch

http://www.archaeologyfestival.org.uk

Heritage Open Days 8-11 September - event programme now live
@heritageopenday 
http://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/


Heritage Open Days Blog

RHS Show Tatton 20-24 July
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Shows-Events/RHS-Show-Tatton-Park/2011
http://www.tattonpark.org.uk/
@tatton_park #rhstatton

Ghost Tours are now up bookable for September to Christmas
http://www.historyandmystery.co.uk
http://www.facebook.com/pages/History-and-Mystery-Tours/245741202105202
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Strange-at-Crewe-The-Crewe-Station-Ghost-Tour/115173248549355
@TimPrevett

Chimney Pot Slot No. 2

This weeks Chimney Pot Slot is from Longport, Stoke on Trent - and is the Chimney Pot Museum. There's a website HERE - though it has never been open in several years of trying to visit. Do you know any more of it?

Dead Good Cemetery No 2 - St John's, Burslem

The reason for picking this cemetery is for the one grave oriented at right angles to every other grave. Instead of being aligned east - west, it's north - south - and the grave of Molly Lee - 'The Witch of Burslem'.

Stoke on Trent Heritage

Chimney Pot Slot No. 1

This week's Chimney Pot Shot comes from Calton Hill in Edinburgh.

History and Mystery Show Playlist 12th July 2011

Kate Bush - Wuthering Heights
Enya - Book of Days (pre Far and Away OST version)
Crewe Station Tweets
Brad Fiedel - Main Title (Terminator 2 Theme)
Events Listing
Tangerine Dream - Love on a Real Train (Risky Business OST)
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - Painted Sun in Abstract (The Social Network OST)
Featured Prehistoric Site - Duddo
Mediaeval Baebes - Undrentide
U2 - Mysterious Ways (apollo 440 magic hour remix)
Featured Holy Well - Nantwich Salt Springs
Roxy Music - Oh Yeah
Featured Graveyard - Greyfriars Kirkyard
Hurts - Sunday

Featured Ancient Site No 1 - Duddo Stone Circle, Northumberland

More information from English Heritage, The Megalithic Portal, The Modern Antiquarian

Events Listing for 12th July Show

Wednesday July 13
Things that go bump... at York's Guildhall
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=225883340777084
Spooksfest York
@companyofghosts
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Spooksfest-York/142148345817199
http://www.spooksfest.co.uk/

Weird o' Wonderful Lectures, York
http://www.facebook.com/wowlecturesyork

Saturday July 16
Ghost Tours at Carlisle Citadel Station
@CarlisleStation
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Carlisle-Citadel-Train-Station-Tours/184637978227315
http://www.carlisleundercroft.co.uk

Public Day in Llandudno with Roman Tours at Conwy Museum
@RomanTours
http://www.facebook.com/romantours
http://www.romantoursuk.com


This spectacular weekend returns to Kelmarsh Hall, Northamptonshire on July 16 - 17 2011.
@EnglishHeritage
http://www.facebook.com/pages/English-Heritage/173240995747
http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/
http://www.fesitivalofhistory.org.uk

Festival of British Archaeology
100s of events all over the country
@FestivalofArch
http://www.facebook.com/archaeology.for.all
http://festival.britarch.ac.uk/


The Cholmondeley Pageant of Power
@PageantofPower
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pageant-of-Power/71847194587
http://www.cpop.co.uk

Heritage Open Days in 8 - 11 September - blog and events live from Friday July 15th @HeritageOpenDay
http://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/

Featured Holy Well No 1 - Salt Springs, Nantwich

Dead Good Cemetery No 1 - Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh

History and Mystery Show Playlist 5th July 2011

Mike Oldfield - The Man in the Rain
Kraftwerk - The Model
6:40 Chat
Jean Michel Jarre - Equinoxe V
2:55 Chat
Dead Can Dance - Bird
4:44 Chat
Men Without Hats - Safety Dance
Hurts - Stay
2:44 Chat
0:33 Chat
Handel - Arrival of the Queen of Sheba
Dead Can Dance - Saltarello
1:12 Chat
The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star
Gary Numan - Cars
0:24 Chat
Mike Oldfield - In Dulci Jubilo

1st RedShift Radio Show

Last night the first History and Mystery Show was broadcast on RedShift Radio, presented by myself, Tim Prevett.

During the show I was getting to grips with what to do on some of the techie aspects. Uploading music, creating the playlist, editing the playlist. All the while keeping an eye on time remaining of the show, and each component. Making sure jingles and adverts are played at appropriate intervals.

Using the big green 'go' button, fading microphones out and back in, and ensuring the show neither over nor under runs with the balance of music, talk and other content.

Last night's show also introduced some of the features I'd like to bring each week as I construct the programme.

A Facebook page is on the way, and more content relating to the show will appear here - photos to be talked about, links, who's who when I have guests - either in the studio, phone or prerecorded interview.

I'll also be playing very different music much of the time probably not featured much on the radio. I will use this blog to make note of each week's playlist as a reference for past and future listeners.

The History and Mystery Show on RedShift Radio will be something different. It is very exciting to be bringing this together for more people to enjoy.

Tuesdays at 10pm, RedShift Radio - with non-music content available to listen again on the bottom of the show's page on the RedShift Radio website.

Happy Birthday, Alan Turing

Today would have been Alan Turing's 99th birthday. 10 years ago today, a statue was unveiled of him in Sackville Gardens in Manchester. Who, you may ask, was Alan Turing? He is described as 'Father of Computer Science, Mathematician, Logician, Wartime Codebreaker, Victim of Prejudice'.

An amazingly intelligent man, invaluable in breaking the Enigma Code, original and grounbreaking in his field - and prosecuted for his sexuality, leading to his suicide in 1954. Read lots more about him here on Wikipedia.

Today I went over to his statue in Sackville Gardens in Manchester, and wished him a happy birthday.

Christ Church Crewe

In the centre of Crewe there is a partially ruined church. Seemingly forgotten by the modern town, the church was for around 140 years a major focus of the life of the town. This text is from the printed guide, and was correct in 2009 in its description of the interior, and very likely is in 2011.

Christ Church was erected by the directors of the Grand Junction Railway in order to meet the spiritual needs of a growing workforce and their families; it was opened for worship on 18 December 1845.

The original building in Moss Square was modest, but as Crewe grew, so the church had additions such as side aisles, the tower, the baptistry and the chancel with its 'morning chapel'.

Following the depopulation of the town centre and the terrible discovery that the nave roof was badly affectd by dry rot, it was decided to save what was still serviceable and turn the nave into a garden. The task of shrinking the church building took two years - services were held in the nearby Hall - and the church was reopened for worship in 1979. Thanks to the labours of the Revd John Malbon and his congregation the church was restored to what you see.

You come in via the 'greenhouse porch' containing the Memorial to those who fell in the Great War of 1914-18 and also the list of vicars dating back to 1846. Glance up to the glass roof to see the architect's intention that the tower could be seen through the clear panes (unfortunately vandalism has necessitated protective mesh over the whole roof which rather spoils the view).

The doors facing the entrance (above them is a wooden plaque commemorating the centenary of the church) lead into the north porch (now the vase room) which used to be the way into the 'morning chapel' (so-called because weekday services would be held there). This is now the main seating area of the church.

Note the original pews with numbers on their sides which date back to the time when most pews were rented; you paid for privilege of attending church! The free seats would have been along the side aisles, and mainly towards the back,

Take time to look at the stone font given by James Atkinson who happened to be the railway doctor and also the first Mayor of this town. The wooden font cover interestingly has the Star of David (two triangles) incorporated into its design.

The fine eagle lectern is of beautifully carved oak. Above it, on the wall,is a memorial to Charles Dodd, a Freemason, who died on the Titanic - a piece of international history in Crewe! Admittedly this memorial was first sited in the redundant church of St Paul, Hightown, which is now a Christian charity dispensing recycled furniture (among its many good works), but it brought here in the mid 1980s.

Intruding into this area is the fine stall, which is used by the officiant at the services and doubles up as a pulpit; originally this stall was on the end of the choir stalls, as you would expect to see in many churches.

On the far wall is a large plaque commemorating Queen Victoria; in the old church it was on the wall of the side aisle, and it has been restored and repositioned to commemorate our hundred and fiftieth anniversary; a small plaque above explains that.

Notice to the right hand side a little brass plate telling you that the altar and reredos were given as a memorial; those items have been repositioned in the church (you may see on the window strut the mark left by the reredos when it was here).

Take time to examine the magnificent stained glass windows in memory of various members of the Atkinson family, including James the doctor (his window is above the font). The glass is typically Victorian, the window spaces are filled with coloured glass so the light level is quite low. The exception is the window depicting Ruth and Dorcas and the quality of the portraiture is not too good! You will understand how this became known as the 'Atkinson Chapel'. Incidentally, one of our greatest vicars, the Revd Walter Bidlake, married into the Atkinson family.

The family favoured the name Mirion as a girl's name, and the former Atkinson residence stands on the corner of Mirion Street.

The chancel has had its furnishings turned round, although you can still see the reredos with its niches which had the old high altar against it. Turn round and you see the new chancel arch wall over the steps where many marriages would have been conducted in the old church. Now both the reredos and chancel arch wall have the fine choir stalls in front: when there is no choir these are part of the general seating area.

These stalls commemorate Frank W. Webb who was Chief Engineer in the all important Railway Works which was the chief employer in our town. That certainly is not the case today.

Above the reredos stalls is a fine window in memory of John Ramsbottom, Webb's predecessor in the Works.

It was said that the Works could tackle any job (besides seeing to Railway affairs), and one of the more unusual was the making of a false leg for a man who had lost his leg in an accident.

Many were the fire irons made during quieter hours in the Works to grace our townsfolk's homes.

On the chancel arch is a fine window in memory of Peter Beames (the son of another Railway worthy) who died in World War II.

Nearby on the organ wall is a plaque to William Bowler who died in the Great War (sadly only a short while before the Armistice).

The organ has a fine case and the instrument is a remodelling of the old Wadsworth three manual by Sixsmith & Co. It is worth listening to if there is an opportunity, although it has shrunk to two manuals and a pedal board.

The altar and its reredos, together with the two wooden candlesticks, make a fine ensemble and will repay close examination, being a good example of late Victorian art.

The door by the left hand side of the altar leads into the vestry, a spacious room, which is used for meetings, an office and a store for the parish records. Most of our records are housed in the Diocesan Archive in Chester, although we still have some Registers and other interesting items relating to the history of both church and town.

Photographs of the old church line the walls, while a number of interesting items can be seen: look out for the large jug made to contain ale for the thirsty bell ringers after a special event.

Remember that Christ Church contains much of the social history of our town: although small, it still has regular services, concerts and other events.
It is still a house of prayer and a place where people celebrate those special moments in life.

It is also a gem of Victoriana, a treasure house of art and craftmanship, worth preserving and handing on to those who follow us down the corridors of time.

The Difference a Letter Makes

The Dorset Evening Echo announced Dorchester Crown Court's new hardline sentence for a cannabis dealer on 29th May 2011. Two tears in prison ought to teach 'em!

Ragged University - Talk on Prehistoric and Roman Roads of North Wales

I'm well chuffed to be giving an illustrated talk to Ragged University in Manchester on Thursday 7th July, 7:30pm onwards. Venue is KRO Piccadilly in the City Cente. Coupled with another talk (details opposite) I'll be speaking on Prehistoric and Roman Roads of North Wales. It's FREE too!

Ragged University:
National Website and National Facebook Page
Manchester Facebook Page
Twitter Feed

Ragged University - Bibliography for Talk on Prehistoric and Roman Roads of North Wales

This bibliography - split by generality or subject-specific, represents works referred to or consulted during research, and considered of benefit to the reader wishing to research the subject even further. Related websites are given at the end of each section.

Multi-Period and General

Aris, M. "Historic Landscapes of the Great Orme", Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, Llanrwst (1996).
Arnold, C.J., and Davies, J.L. "Roman and Early Mediaeval Wales", Sutton Publishing, Thrupp (2000).
Bagley, J.J. , Cheshire Community Council, Chester, (1972).
Bartlett, W.B. “The Taming of the Dragon”, Sutton Publishing, Thrupp (2003).
Bick, D. "The Old Metal Mines of Mid-Wales - parts 4 and 5 - West Montgomeryshire, Aberdovey, Dinas Mawddy and Llangynog", The Pound House, Newent (1990).
Bingley, W. "North Wales: Delineated from two excursions through all the interesting parts of that highly beautiful and romantic country and intended as a guide to future tourists", first published 1814, Cedric Chivers Ltd, Bristol (1998).
Borrow, G. “Wild Wales”, Collins, London & Glasgow (1862).
Bradley, A.G. "Highways and Byways in North Wales", Macmillan and Co., London (1905).
Breese, G. "The Bridges of Wales", Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, Llanrwst (2001).
Bromwich, R. “Trioedd Ynys Prydein”, University of Wales Press, Cardiff (2006).
Brown, I. “Discovering a Welsh Landscape - Archaeology in the Clwydian Range”, Windgather Press, Bollington (2004
Bryson, B. “Notes from a Small Island”, Black Swan, London, (1996).
Bullock, J.D. "A History of Cheshire Volume III Pre-Conquest Cheshire 383-1066" General Editor ).
Burnham, H. "A Guide to Ancient and Historic Wales - Clwyd and Powys", HMSO, London (1995).
Davies, E. "The Prehistoric and Roman Remains of Flintshire", (Pages Missing).
Dutton, R. J. A. "Hidden Highways of North Wales", Redwood Books, Trowbridge (2003).
Ellis, B. "The History of Halkyn Mountain", Helygain, Halkyn (1998).
Gregory, D. "Country Churchyards in Wales", Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, Llanrwst (1991).
Gregory, D. "Wales after 1536", Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, Llanrwst (1995).
Hainsworth, J. “Llangynog A Village Trail”, St Melangell Centre, Pennant Melangell (2006).
Harris, R. "Walks in Ancient Wales", Sigma Leisure, Wilmslow (2003).
Hughes, W. "Anglesey Past & Present", Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, Llanrwst (1999).
Jenner, L. "Walking in the Vale of Clwyd and the Denbigh Moors", Mara Publications, Helsby (2000).
Jervoise, E. "The Ancient Bridges of Wales and Western England", The Architectural Press, London (1936).
Knowles, D.S., and Parkin, B.E. “Just One Parish - The History of Llanarmon yn Ial”, self publishd and first printed to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the Llanarmon yn Ial Women’s Institute in 1973, reprinted for Llanarmon and District Conservation Society (2003).
Lynch, F. "A Guide to Ancient and Historic Wales - Gwynedd", HMSO, London (1995).
Main, L. "The Spirit Paths of Wales", Cicerone Press, Milnthorpe (2000)
Morgan, P. "Wales An Illustrated History", Tempus Publishing Limited, Stroud (2005).
Moore-Colyer, R. "Roads and Trackways of Wales", Moorland Publishing Ltd, Ashbourne (1984).
Morris, J. General Editor, "Domesday Book: A Survey of the Counties Of England Compiled by the direction of King William I Winchester 1086", Morgan, P., editor "Cheshire: Including Lancashire, Cumbria and North Wales", Phillimore, Chichester (1978).
Musson, C. "Wales from the Air: Patterns of Past and Present", Royal Commission on the Ancient & Historical Monuments of Wales, (1994).
Richards, R. "Two Bridges over Menai", Gwasg Carreg Gwalch (2004).
Rogers, B. "The Bank Manager and the Holy Grail: Travels to the Wilder Reaches of Wales", Aurum Press Ltd, London (2003).
Rogers, C. "Walking on the Lleyn Peninsula", Mara Publications, Helsby (1999).
Senior, M. "The Crossing of the Conwy", Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, Llanrwst (1991).
Senior, M. "North Wales in the Making", Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, Llanrwst (2003).
Stuart, R. “Cyclopedia of architecture, historical, descriptive, typographical, decorative, theoretical and mechanical, alphabetically arranged, familiarly explained, and adapted to the comprehension of workmen, etc., etc.”, A S Banres & Co (1854). Available online through GoogleBooks.
Thorpe, L., translated by "Gerald of Wales - The Journey through Wales / The Description of Wales", Penguin Books Ltd, Harmondsworth (1978).
Tucker, N. "North Wales in the Civil War", Gee, Denbigh, (1958). (Details uncertain due to missing pages).
Wright, K.A. "Gentle are its Songs", Sir Gerald Nabarro (Publications) Ltd, Birmingham (1973).
“The Cambrian Journal Volume I”, The Cambrian Institute, London (1854). Available online through Google Books.

Abandoned Landscapes - A series of walks in North Wales by M M Robinson published online only at
www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=2146412525

Archaeology Data Service / Arts and Humanities Data Service
ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/search/index.cfm

BRITARCH discussion list
www.britarch.ac.uk

British History Online
www.british-history.ac.uk

Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust
www.cpat.org.uk

COFLEIN
www.coflein.gov.uk

Countryside Council for Wales
www.ccw.gov.uk

Gathering the Jewels - The Website for Welsh Cultural History
www.gtj.org.uk

Google Books
books.google.com

Gwynedd Archaeological Trust
www.heneb.co.uk

The Megalithic Portal (Prehistory, Ancient Crosses and Holy Wells)
www.megalithic.info

Northern Earth - Journeys in Living Landscapes
www.northernearth.co.uk

Pastscape
www.pastscape.org.uk

Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales
www.rcahmw.gov.uk


Prehistoric

Barber, C, and Williams, G.W. "The Ancient Stones of Wales", Blorenge Books, Abergavenny (1989).
Burl, A. "The Stone Circles of Britain, Ireland, and Brittany", Yale University Press, New Haven and London (2000).
Burrow, S. "The Tomb Builders: In Wales 4000 - 3000BC", National Museum Wales Books, Cardiff (2006).
Cope, J. “The Modern Antiquarian”, Thorsons, London, 1998.
Gibson, A. "Cursus Monuments and Possible Cursus Monuments in Wales: avenues for research (or roads to nowhere?)" published in "Pathways and Ceremonies: The Cursus Monuments of Britain and Ireland", Barclay, A., and Harding, J., Oxbow Books, Oxford (1999).
Green, S. "Ice Age Hunters: Neanderthals and Early Modern Hunters in Wales", National Museums and Galleries of Wales, Cardiff, (1991).
Longueville-Jones, H. “Early British Remains in Wales”, Archaeologica Cambrensis, 1885, 262-270
Lynch, F., Aldhouse-Green, S., and Davies, J.L. "Prehistoric Wales", Sutton Publishing, Thrupp (2000).
McCormack, B. "Prehistoric Sites of Montgomeryshire", Logaston Press, Little Logaston (2006).
Morgan, V & P. "Prehistoric Cheshire", Landmark Publishing Ltd, Ashbourne (2004).
Nash, G. "The Architecture of Death - Neolithic Chambered Tombs in Wales", Logaston Press, Little Logaston (2006).
Senior, M. “Hillforts of Northern Wales”, Gwasg Garreg Gwalch, Learns (2005).

Heather & Hillforts - The Clwydian Range
www.heatherandhillforts.co.uk

The Modern Antiquarian
www.themodernantiquarian.com

Roman

Ainsworth, S. & T. Wilmott. “Chester Amphitheatre”, Chester City Council and English Heritage (2005).
Cantrell, J. & A. Rylance. "Sarn Helen", Cicerone Press, Milnthorpe (1992).
Davies, J.L., and Jones, R.H. "Roman Camps in Wales and The Marches", University of Wales Press, Cardiff (2006).
Hopewell, D. “Roman Roads in North-West Wales (Revision 4)”, Unpublished Gwynedd Archaeological Trust Report 668 (project G1632), (2007).
Hopewell, D. “Roman Fort Environs 2002/2003“, Unpublished Gwynedd Archaeological Trust Report 479 (project G1632), (2003).
Mason, D.J.P. "Roman Chester - City of the Eagles", Tempus Publishing Ltd, Stroud (2001).
Silvester, R.J. "The Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust The Roman Roads of East and North-East Wales - The First Report", CPAT Report No. 527, Welshpool (2003).
Silvester, R.J. "The Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust The Roman Roads of East and North-East Wales - A Second Report", CPAT Report No. 621, Welshpool (2004).
Wacher, J. "Roman Britain", Sutton Publishing Ltd, Thrupp (2001).
Waddelove, E. "The Roman Roads of North Wales - Recent Discoveries", Privately published, Ruthin (1999).
Wilson, R.J.A. "A Guide to the Roman Remains in Britain", Constable & Robinson Ltd, London (2002).

Roman Britain
www.roman-britain.org