SARUM U3A

At the September meeting in St Francis Church Hall the speaker was Rex Sawyer, well known to us for the number of very interesting talks he has already given. After defining the area known as Salisbury Plain, he recounted facts and figures relating to the many villages on it. Luckily for us, the local inhabitants were happy to be photographed as they went about their lives and the talk was illustrated with fine photos from the mid-1900 onwards.

In the Nadder Valley, woodmen posed whilst they were 'bark-stripping' for the tanning industry. Elder wood was cut into blocks and sent North to be fashioned into clogs. At the time, there were 8 fox fur farms in the area. Bratton Village for many years was the home of an Iron Foundry. Sheep played a large part in the life on the Plain. Shepherds, shearers and 'dew ponders' were part of the countryside scene along with 'warranders' who killed rabbits for a living and sent their produce to markets in London and Southampton.

In 1841 there was serious flooding following heavy rains. In Shrewton 36 houses were washed away and Winterbourne Stoke, Tilshead and Chitterne were among other villages seriously affected.

Urchfont was thought to be the loveliest village and Imber perhaps the saddest for well documented reasons.

Chairman, Neil Russell, thanked Mr Sawyer for yet another fascinating insight into 'Life on the Plain'.

The next Coffee Morning at St Francis Church Hall will be on 22 October.