Plant & Produce swap & wreath making Bailey Street, Oswestry

Dear Blogger

Message from Ingrid Knowles Oswestry Net

FESTIVE PLANT, SEED & PRODUCE SWAP - 29th Nov from 10 till 2 at OsCAH, 36 Bailey St

Prescott Surgery November-December newsletter

Dear Blogger

Message from Jackie Jones Chair of Prescott Surgery Patient Group.

Prescott Surgery newsletter November-December 2025

An evening with Joe Wicks at Booka Bookshop

Dear Blogger

Message from Book Bookshop, Oswestry.

An Evening with Fitness Star Joe Wicks Thursday 11th December - 7.00 pm (doors 6.15 pm) The Holroyd Community Theatre, Oswestry, SY10 7SZ Join us for an evening with hugely popular health and fitness star Joe Wicks as he delivers more cookery inspiration with his new book Protein in 15. National Treasure Joe Wicks is back with Protein in 15, packed with quick, delicious protein-packed and unprocessed recipes for the whole family. We all need protein to help us balance blood sugar, build muscle, and maintain energy and concentration. Whether you're an experienced gym-goer, a mid-life woman battling peri-menopausal symptoms or simply want to boost your protein without relying on ready-made bars and shakes and protein powder this book is for you. Real food for real people, the recipes are tight on time but big on flavour and are made with easy-to-source, unprocessed ingredients. Whether you fancy a spicy chicken burger, banging steak burritos, meat-free Bolognese, creamy chicken harissa pasta, this book is for you with over a quarter of the recipes suitable for vegetarians. Chapters include: – Easy-peasy dinners – Plant-powered meals

Christmas Coffee Morning at St. John the Baptist Church, Ruyton

Dear Blogger

Message from Margaret L

Donations to any of the stalls would be most gratefully received and should be given to Sue Corfield, Gwennan Jones or Pat Paddock.

CHRISTMAS COFFEE MORNING at St. John the Baptist Church, 29th November 2025

Myddle Flicks in the Sticks December and January

Dear Blogger

Message from Candy Bellis at Myddle

The next two films at Flicks in the Sticks in Myddle - do please support this ventur on our doorstep - when the road re-opens!

7th December THE ROSES

21st January 2026 DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE

Our Unique War Memorial dedicated on 10th October 1920

Dear Blogger

This is an extract from the piece on Ruyton XI Towns War Memorial. If you are interested in the history of the village where you live, including more on the War Memorial, please go to https://www.eleventowns.uk/history.html

OUR UNIQUE WAR MEMORIAL
by Yoland Brown & Irena White

The dreadful massacre which was the First World War finally came to an end in 1918, it will be observed that carved above the Ruyton XI Towns War Memorial are the years 1914-1919.  This is because, although the Armistice was signed on 11th November 1918, the final Paris Peace Conference took place at Versailles on 28^th June 1919.

Interestingly, Canon Edge, Vicar of West Felton and author of The History of that village, was at a meeting of the Classical Association in Manchester when he heard about the Imperial Conference which took place in 1918 at which Sir Frederic George Kenyon was present. Sir Frederic was grandson of Thomas and Charlotte Kenyon of Pradoe, Director of the British Museum and President of the British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem, with a particular interest, among other things, in ancient monuments.  It had been a concern in high places, about what would be done about war cemeteries after the war, when Sir Frederic reminded the committee that in 5^th century Athens war dead were listed in war cemeteries with just their names being carved in stone with the Tribe, or regiment, to which they belonged.   The Committee accepted the Athenians way of recording the dead and so we have a Kenyon to thank that, wherever the war dead are buried, each has an identical headstone with no distinction for wealth or service hierarchy. 

An example of exactly what Kenyon wanted to avoid can be seen in Little Ness churchyard where Maurice Darbv, son of Arthur and Frederica Darby of Adcote House, has a very ornate monument recording that his uncle, Sir George Arthur, had searched the battlefield until he found his nephew, four days after his death and brought his remains home to be buried with other members of his family. The young man was one of the very few Englishmen killed on the Western Front to be re-patriated.  The other 20 men from the village who fell, just had their names recorded on the War Memorial.

As men from Ruyton were declared dead or missing, the obvious place to make a shrine was the village Cross, but this was a temporary measure.  On 24^th April 1919 a public meeting was held to decide on `A scheme for the Memorial to the Soldier and Sailor Heros of the Parish who have fallen`.  A committee of 20 was elected and ideas for a Memorial were submitted – the contender of two German captured guns and a plaque with names of the fallen was dismissed as disrespectful.  Another idea, to add a bit more to the Cross with names round the bottom was thought unworthy.  A 14ft cross in the garden of the Victoria Room was deemed to be subject to wind and erosion.  However, Mr. William David Briscoe, threshing machine owner, well sinker and general engineer, of Rock Cottage, Brownhill offered a piece of land beneath his property to serve as a site for the proposed memorial, and this was accepted.

Mr. Stanley Vaughan of London was engaged to design the War Memorial exactly as we see it today, except, that it was to have a hole cut above for a shaft of light to shine on the cross at the back.  The names of the fallen were to be inscribed on a ceramic plaque made by the Potters Guild of Guildford.

Two local stone masons quoted for the work, Mr. John Howells, £25, and Warwick Edwards, who won the quote at just £10. However, Mr. Edwards and his son had to contend with the vagaries of Ruyton sandstone which has a mind of its own, and a fault in the stone meant extra cutting was required to find a solid surface. Also, the idea of a hole for the sun to shine through had to be abandoned.

A total of £94 13 shillings and 3pence had been collected to cover the costs; £16 7shillings for the architect, £12 for the Potters Guild and £42 14shillings for Warwick Edwards and his son Leonard.  Even at the time, the memorial was considered unique in the country.

The Memorial was unveiled and dedicated on Sunday 10^th October 1920.  Parishioners and most of the village met at the village cross and proceeded to the parish church, led by the school children carrying flowers and Comrades of the Great War.  The United service was led by the Vicar, Rev. Craven, and Mr. T.B. Evans, Congregational Minister read the lesson. Mr. W.A. Riddlesworth presided at the organ.  The congregation then proceeded to the War Memorial where General Edward Ranulph Kenyon C.B. delivered the address.

`Road to Ruin - Rock & Roll at Weston Lullingfields

Dear Blogger

Message from Phil Dent, Weston Lullingfields

'ROAD TO RUIN' are a well-known local band performing classic rock covers.

Saturday 29th November from 7pm.

The 'Fish Fry' mobile Fish & Chip van will be on site from 5pm to 7pm too.

The Bar will be open from 5pm

Tickets £10 from Jean on 01939 261299 or text 07900 081356 or mail shiatsuwithjean@gmail.com

Agnes Hunt find out more about Shropshire`s `mother` of the Orthopaedic hospital

Dear Blogger

Message from Heather Hidden OBHAG

If you don`t know the story of probably Shropshire`s greatest heroines, this would be a gret opportunity to know more.

Oswestry & Border History & Archaeology Group 

  Our next meeting is at the Methodist Church Hall, Castle Street SY11 1LF

Friday 14th November at 7.30 pm

 

'Aggie – a dramatic monologue telling the story of Dame  Agnes Hunt'

With Alison Utting Author and Actor

 Entry:Visitors £5 Members £2  

Alison is well known for her dramatic monologues focussing on women from Shropshire's past. 'Aggie' is based on the memoirs of Agnes Hunt, bringing to life the remarkable woman who co-founded Oswestry's world-famous orthopaedic hospital and set up a college to provide further education for students with special educational needs and disabilities.