Recently in Events Category

On Wednesday 21 April 2010, building work commenced at the Shrine with the laying of the first restoration stone during a ceremony led by Rev. Stephen Holmes, priest-in-charge of North Stoneham parish. The school councillors of Nightingale Primary School immured sixteen coins under the stone; half the coins dated from 1918 when the Shrine was first completed, and half were new coins freshly minted in 2010. Harry Willis Fleming placed an Elizabethan silver coin in memory of his ancestors. A piece of shrapnel from the First World War was also placed. The stone was prepared by stonemason Jonathan Starr and then laid by local resident Douglas Bunce - who was born in 1918 and grew up at North Stoneham Park. The stone and the building works were blessed by Rev. Stephen Holmes; prayers were said by Prof. Roger Thornton.

(Photos: Bruce Williams)

Our events programme begins properly next week, with a talk by Jane Wildgoose at North Stoneham Church. Jane is an artist - and trustee of the Willis Fleming Historical Trust - and will be discussing her work, and how its themes relate to the principles that motivated the Shrine's inception in 1917. This will also be, in part, an introduction to the time capsule (see below) and the creative workshops in May.

A week later Harry Willis Fleming giving a talk at Eastleigh Museum about the project, North Stoneham Park, and the curious history of his ancestors, the Willis Fleming family. Jenna Dewhurst will be leading her seasonal Exploration of Avenue Park in mid-May.

We are extremely fortunate to have John Phibbs coming to North Stoneham at the end of May, to give a guided walk through former North Stoneham Park, and to detect what traces of the historic landscape remain. Early in June there is a tour (with lunch) in south Hampshire with The Mausolea & Monuments Trust. A few days later, we are lucky to have Prof. Mark Connelly giving a talk about the war shrines that appeared on city streets during the Great War.

For more information on events, see the full events listings

Sunday 9 Nov 2008: Remembrance service at Binstead & Havenstreet War Shrine, led by the Venerable Caroline Baston, the Archdeacon of the Isle of Wight.