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Introduction
Monkton Combe Women's Institute invite you to read extracts
from
"The beauty of the area is the feature most remembered by
those who had the inclination to write and the freedom to roam
across fields and woodland, fish or bathe in the brook, or to
enjoy the sight of orchards in blossom. These features have left
many nostalgic testimonies."
| "Some people think that
only the tremendous is worth writing about; that all
things read or written should be full of catastrophes and
that nothing less is worthwhile. Wars and upheavals have
so accustomed us to such huge tragedies and triumphs that
the ordinary events in the lives of ordinary people seem
trivial. But triviality and the writing of trifles can be
attractive and useful, if only as an antidote to the
overdoses of slumps, booms, wars, rumours of wars,
scientific terrors, and general abnormalities and
monstrosities. They can, in fact, bring peace to
overwrought minds." From "The
Delectable Valley", by A.V. Owen
Former member of staff at Monkton Combe School.
Published in 1952 |
To celebrate the Millennium, the Monkton Combe branch of the
Women's Institute decided to compile a book celebrating the last
100 years of the village. With the help of residents (past and
present) and other local people, November 2000 saw the launch of
their efforts. The following pages contain extracts from that
book, and my grateful thanks to all concerned for allowing me to
reproduce it here. Sadly, limited funds only allowed the
printing of a few hundred copies which were quickly sold. A
reprint is being done, but again, will probably sell out quickly
(April 2001).
I hope that once you have read at least some
of the following pages, you will begin to see the beauty of our
village, past and present, and understand why some residents,
having either been born here or decided to set up home here -
have stayed. |
