Heritage Day

(click above to enlarge)

The Heritage Day exhibition in October displayed an impressive array of old photos and artefacts relating to village life over the years. More documents and photos came to light, including the 1908 map shown here (note the allotments in the field opposite the White Lion). A selection of photos is now on the Flickr site here, and if you would like to see more, or to obtain a CD, please let us know by adding a comment (use the Anonymous ID if you're new to this) or call Lin Watterson on 528921.

Midsummer Night's Dream (3)

The first night was a great success, but we have had to cancel tonight (Friday) because it's rather wet and windy - not ideal for fight scenes or lying on the grass, and not really picnic weather, either.

Please come on Saturday night or Sunday afternoon, when the forecast looks better. There is also a raffle for a hamper of food and some other items, to be drawn on Sunday, all in aid of theatre funds.

A Midsummer Night's Dream (2)

Sadly we have been plagued with errors about the venue. Last year the County Press advertised it as at Arreton Manor in their one line summary, with the result that people turned up at the locked gates, so sorry to Andy and Julia for that one.

This year the Apollo Theatre has generously included our event in its  programmes but it is listed as "BUNBRIDGE MANOR" which sounds faintly like something from Jeeves and Wooster, or perhaps The Importance of Being Earnest?

AND the County Press has done it again today with "BURBRIDGE Manor" in  our very expensive advert!

If anyone out there reads this then please do let your friends know that it is BUDBRIDGE Manor and they can get there by going North up Merstone  Lane, into Bury Lane (the only RIGHT turn) and then RIGHT again into  Budbridge Lane. The alternative from the Sandown Road is to follow the East Lane which is a few yards from the top of Merstone Lane and the first LEFT turn after Arreton Cross coming from Arreton.

Locals can easily walk or cycle to the venue and there will be car parking provided.

Come early, bring a friend, family, food and a rug or chairs and enjoy a unique occasion.

Call Lin Watterson 528921 for ticket reservations.

Arreton Community Theatre Group

A Midsummer Night's Dream

The Arreton Community Theatre group, run by Isabel Favell and Lin Watterson, is busily rehearsing this famous Shakespeare comedy, to be performed in the garden at Budbridge Manor on the 5th-8th August (Thursday to Sunday). The performances will be at 7.30 pm, except on the Sunday, when there will be a matinée at 2.30 pm (doors open at 6.30 and 1.30, respectively).

The group performed Don Quixote at the same venue last year, to great acclaim, and we want as many people as possible to enjoy this summer's production. Bring a picnic and some friends, or even relatives, and transport yourselves to ancient Athens (or maybe even 60's Warwickshire) for an evening of pathos, passion and pack animals...

For those who haven't visited, Budbridge is at the far end of East Lane, which runs parallel to the Merstone road and is the route to the Bike Shed. Just keep going, over the old railway bridge and cycle track and you will reach a stretch of unmade road that leads to the Manor.

We are very grateful to Piers and Venetia Verey, for the use of their lovely garden; to SEEDA, for their recent help with funding; to Lin Watterson, whose original artwork you see above (click on it to see more detail); and to all the cast members, who have been rehearsing their socks off. Please come and make it all worth their while! Ticket prices are a very reasonable £6 for adults and £3 for children, so no excuses...

Gardens open in Arreton tomorrow

We are opening 9 gardens in the village again this year (on Sunday 20th June) and the money raised will go to St John Ambulance and Relate on the Island, as well as a contribution to the Arreton Community Theatre.

Arreton Manor, The Old Vicarage and Haseley Manor are not normally open to the public now, so it is a great opportunity to see these very interesting gardens as well as some other delightful smaller gardens in the village, two of them different to last year.

There will be cream teas, lakes and plant sales. Free parking at Haseley, Arreton Barns and by the White Lion. The gardens will be open from 11am to 5pm.

£3.50 per person, children under 12 £2, or £10 per family and tickets can be bought from the Arreton Post Office until 1pm on the day and any of the participating gardens which will be well sign-posted. It should be a great day out for all the family. No.8 bus goes through Arreton with 3 stops in the village.

St.George's Day Lunch

To follow the patronal festival service at the church (St.George's) another excellent lunch was held at the Community Centre. This was to the usual high standard, and a bargain at £6.50 including aperitifs, wine and three delicious courses. The puddings, again as usual, were to die for (see below) but I must also put in a word for Erica's starters, which gave us a choice of two mousses (mice?), egg or cucumber and cream cheese, both of which were what Greg Wallace would describe as scrummy. If you missed it, you missed out, so make a note for next year, and when the summer's over, remember the Harvest Supper, which will doubtless be just as good...

A good read

I’m indebted to fellow blogger Ray Girvan for his interesting piece on a Victorian melodrama set in a thinly disguised Arreton, known in the book as ‘Arden’.The story, titled ‘The Reproach of Annesley’ was written by Mary Tuttiet of Newport, under the pen name of Maxwell Gray, writing being considered rather an unladylike activity at the time.

Ray’s summary of the plot and character descriptions (“a nice-but-dim mother and geeky father highly reminiscent of the Bennets in Pride and Prejudice”) are worth a read in their own right, but I’m not sure how many copies of the book itself are still around. You may have to visit a few antiquarian book shops, although I see there is a link to the text on Ray’s blog, so you could always print it yourself!

Link