East Meon Historical Society

Almost a decade after the foundation of the East Meon History Group, and on the verge of the publication of a major book, Farming the Valley, Michael Blakstad looks back at the development of one of the most successful local interest groups in the county.

Origins

A small informal group was founded in 2010, largely because the original East Meon village website had received a number of queries from people all round the world asking for information about their ancestors and other questions about the history of the parish. Initially, the group met in the living rooms of members and membership was confined to 25. In 2011 we held talks in All Saints Church Hall and membership gradually increased. The annual subscription was originally £10 but was increased to £15 to cover the cost of hiring the venue and paying outside speakers. Today the group offers a full programme of events, talks and visits; it has also conducted research into aspects of the history of East Meon: House Histories in 2011/12, the Great War in 2015 and Farming the Valley, which started in 2016 and will culminate in the publication in November 2019 of an illustrated book of that title. The aim of the group is to remain small and informal, focussing on local history of East Meon, and to promote the village as a destination for local history groups and researchers.

Talks

Between September and May each year the Group organises talks on various topics, usually relating to local history, and visits to sites of historical interest. Talks are given by guest speakers, usually historians, and others by members of the group and villagers.

Visits

Spring and Autumn visits are arranged each year to historical sites in the vicinity of East Meon. A specialist guides a group of between a dozen and 20 members and guests. Locations visited include the Weald and Downland Open Air Museum, Jane Austen’s House, the Mary Rose Museum, the D-Day Control Room at Southwick Park, Winchester Cathedral and Fishbourne Roman Villa, while we have walked around the Arts and Crafts buildings of Bedales School and Steep, and Froxfield  Entrenchments.