Cotswold Chatterblog

The Gallery at The Guild, Chipping Campden

Campden, is well known as the home of C. R. Ashbee’s world renowned Guild of Handicraft which occupied the Guild workshops from 1902 to 1908. Indeed, the Guild is still represented at the property through Hart’s goldsmiths and silversmiths. Attracted by the history of the building and Campden’s excellent reputation throughout the arts and crafts movement, a new cooperative of more than a dozen artists and artisans moved into the Guild workshops in 2005, bringing a variety of contemporary and traditional craftspeople together.

There are parallels between the new cooperative and Ashbee’s original guild. Some of the cooperative’s members have given up urban life and fast moving careers to focus on quality of life by moving to the countryside with their families and devoting their time to work which they truly enjoy. As in Ashbee’s day, all of the cooperative’s members face competition from mass produced items but in an age where consumers are faced with more choice than ever before, there seems to be a distinct trend towards bespoke, hand crafted items. Whether it be one original piece of art for that large space over the fireplace, a single cabinet or a hand made kitchen to last a lifetime, consumers are becoming more discerning, perhaps recognising that there is always a price-quality trade off.

The Gallery @ the Guild is a cooperative of twenty two artists, calligraphers, ceramicists, designers, furniture makers, photographers, sculptors and textile artists. The cooperative aims to promote its members’ work and to provide the public with an opportunity to meet its members, each of whom takes a turn at stewarding the cooperative’s various exhibitions. Each exhibition includes a variety of disciplines so that there is something for everyone. The gallery also sells small gifts, hand made cards and limited edition prints to suit every budget.

Also in the same building are Hart’s goldsmiths and silversmiths, Caroline Richardson jewellery and Goody Lou’s shoes, bespoke shoe dying and embellishment workshop.

Tuesday, 29th may to Sunday 24th June
“Finesse”
Liz Allchin, Kate Barry, Emma Clegg, Mary Day, Jeremy Green

Thursday, 28th June to Sunday, 29th July
“Creme de la Creme”

The Gallery @ the Guild, the Guild craft workshops, Sheep Street, Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire GL55 6DS. www.thegalleryattheguild.co.uk

Opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday 10am till 5pm. Closed on Mondays except bank holidays.

(From the Chipping Campden Bulletin. included with kind permission of Jeremy Green)

1st – 4th July Stoneleigh Park Warwickshire

Farming, Food and Rural Life – showcasing the very best of British Agriculture

The Royal Show is the only event that showcases the rural way of life in its entirety

Opening times Sunday to Tuesday 9am to 7pm, Wednesday 9am to 6pm

www.royalshow.org.uk

2nd June – 3rd June The Almonry Museum Evesham

Featuring Medieval Medicine and Surgery, Merrie England Re-Enactment Group, Ministrel Music and Court Dancing,

On Saturday evening the “Exile Buskers” an Irish/English Folk music band will be playing in the Market Place with a pig Roast.

Strong Cheddar Cheese, Crusty Bread and Shallots will be served in the Cider Bar on both days and there will also be free entry to the Almonry Museum on both afternoons

31st May – 3rd June Gloucestershire,Warwickshire Railway(GWR)

The GWR is all ready for their big event of the year – the Cotswold Festival of Steam- which is based at their Toddington, Winchcombe and Cheltenham Racecourse stations.

The biggest “name” will be Gresley LNER V2 class 2-6-2 No 4771 Green Arrow which is coming from the National Railway Museum in York. It will be it’s first ever visit to the GWR and it will be a great sight, resplendant in it’s striking pre-war apple green livery.

Other engines which will be running are Somerset and Dorset 7F 2-8-0 No 88, SR West Country 4-6-2 No 34007 Wadebridge, GWR small Prairie 2-6-2T No 5542 (working the “Coffee Pot” push pull auto coach), GWR Modified Hall 4-6-0 No 7903 Foremarke Hall, GWR 0-6-0ST No 813 and 9F 2-10-0 No 92203 Black Prince.

There will be a full working of freight, local passenger and through passenger trains and the chance to see behind the scenes at the GWR Winchcombe carriage works.

www.gwsr.com

Come and stay at Little Gidding, which is only half an hour away from the Festival, and be a steam buff in comfort in the Cotswolds

Update: 30th June.

A Blog by Chris Leigh has some great video clips of the Cotswold Festival of Steam.

May 27-June 3 2007 Asparagus Festival, Fleece Inn, Bretforton,

Events include an asparagus auction, farmer’s market, morris dancing, Children’s asparagus trail, fairy grotto,craft fair,silver band and displays of asparagus artifacts. Samuel Pepys loved it and Shakespeare has a passing affection for it (so they say). Come and stay at Little Gidding and give it a go.

The Fleece Inn is a historic National Trust property and is worth going to see for it’s original interior alone including one of the finest sets of pewter plates in the UK.

The Fleece is situated in the heart of Worcestershire’s Vale of Evesham- the traditional home of English asparagus.

The Festival is a must for the asparagus lover providing theopportunity to taste,buy and learn about one of the country’s most sought after delicacies.

On Monday 28th May Rachel Green, TV’s Flying Chef will provide a cookery demonstration.

www.british-asparagus.co.uk

www.thefleeceinn.co.uk