Welcome

Charney Bassett and the surrounding area has lots of fascinating history and stories; from the earliest times to the present day. This website has been developed in order to capture some of these for your enjoyment, information and remembrance.

Whoever you are reading this – a villager, someone from further away, a researcher or anyone else – you are most welcome. Enjoy browsing or, if you are looking for something specific, use the ‘Search’ box on each page.

What’s Happening?

This history website has been created and is maintained with the backing of the Parish Council. Work is ongoing and the website is promoted via regular updates in the Charney Chatter and via the email system.

With your help we can improve and develop this site further. If you have additional information or believe something is incorrect or inappropriate or would just like to let us know what you think of the website please contact the website managers Ian & Amanda Graham at charney.history@btinternet.com or contact one of our local historians joseph.ody192@btinternet.com .

And if you would like to know what’s new then see the updates list below Click to go directly to the page.

What’s new since 2024 October’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2024 May’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2023 November’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2023 October’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2023 June’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2022 December’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2022 October’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2022 August’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2022 June’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2022 May’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2022 April’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2022 February’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2021 December’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2021 October’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2021 September’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2021 August’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2021 May’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2021 April’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2021 March’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2021 February’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2020 December’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2020 November’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2020 October’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2020 June’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2020 May’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2020 March & April’s Charney Chatters?

What’s new since 2020 February’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2020 January’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2019 December’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2019 October and November’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2019 September’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2019 August’s Charney Chatter?

  • Yate (family histories)

What’s new since 2019 July’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2019 June’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2019 May’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2019 April’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2019 February’s and March’s Charney Chatters?

What’s new since 2019 January’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2018 December’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2018 November’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2018 October’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2018 September’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2018 August’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2018 July’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2018 June’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2018 May’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2018 April’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2018 March’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2018 February’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2018 January’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2017 December’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2017 October and November’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2017 September’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2017 August’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2017 July’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2017 June’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2017 May’s Charney Chatter?

What’s new since 2017 April’s Charney Chatter?

  • The  Slate Club – under recent history, Charney Life
  • Village College – under recent history, Charney Life
  • A little more on Bush Barn Airfield & WW1 rationing book – under World Wars
  • Youth Club – under recent history, Charney Life
  • More photos – under The Gallery
  • Parish Records from 1617 to 1974 – under Buildings and Structures, St Peter’s Church, Records of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials 1617 to 1974 and under Resources
  • Various receipts – under Garages and also Resources, Receipts
  • More Newspaper Cuttings – under Resources
  • Additions to Feasts – under Charney Life

What’s new since 2017 March’s Charney Chatter?

  • The River Ock – under recent history
  • Map of the allotments – under Charney life
  • More School photos
  • Cricket Photos, Names added
  • More on The Chequers and The Horn Inns – Under buildings and Structures
  • Imperial War Graves Letter – under St Peter’s, Monuments
  • Aunt Sally Winners – Under Charney Life, Aunt Sally
  • Newspaper Clippings – Under Resources

What’s new since 2017 February’s Charney Chatter?

  • Cricket pitch plan – under Charney Life/Cricket Club
  • Text on the restoration of St Peter’s – Under Buildings and structures/St Peter’s/Restoration
  • Photos from 2009 Feast

What’s new since 2017 January’s Charney Chatter?

  • Various small additions and more photos across the site
  • Memories of Michael Cox – Under Charney Life, Memories
  • Saxon Brooch – under Finds in Fields/Gardens/Rivers
  • Quiz questions, answers, winners – under Resources/ Quizzes

What’s new since 2016 December’s Charney Chatter?

  • Ridge and Furrows – Under Lumps and Bumps
  • Various additions to St Peter’s Church, Charney Manor and the Village Cross
  • Restoration of St Peter’s Church Building
  • Restoration of the Bells of St Peter’s Church

What’s new since 2016 November’s Charney Chatter?

  • Recollections from Manor Farm – Under memories
  • Updates to World Wars page
  • Women’s Institute – Under Charney Life
  • Cricket Club – Under Charney Life
  • Photos added to CADS, May Day, Feasts, Charney Club – All under Charney Life
  • Electricity arrives – Under Memories
  • Minutes of Smallholders’ Meetings – Selected Extracts – Under Smallholdings
  • Mass dial and other additions – St Peter’s Church
  • Village Cross sundial updates
  • Vehicles – under Charney Life
  • School punishment book

 What’s new since the launch of the website on 19th September 2016?

  • Aerial photos
  • A condensed obituary of William Shippery – under Wesleyan Methodist Chapel
  • Field names – on the Maps Through Time area
  • Lumps and Bumps – all sorts of ring ditches, bronze age barrows, prehistoric pits 
  • Loads more photographs in the Photo Gallery

How it began

Several local residents were known to hold a wealth of knowledge about the history of the village, some of which could provide a starting point for research, linked to external sources of expertise and evidence.

However, informal approaches to put pen to paper did not bear fruit.

It was a decision by the Parish Council to appoint a communications team to: produce an electronic village newsletter, develop an email management system and re-launch their website which provided the necessary stimulus.

Feedback from residents revealed interest in including a history section on the village website. In late 2015 the communications team approached longstanding resident Joe Ody to host an exploratory meeting in The Chequers Inn.

Such was the interest that early in 2016 a village history group was formed operating on a less formal basis than a Society and utilising the Charney Chatter, email management system and the village website to help promote the Group, record information and provide a signpost to other sources of relevant information.

The enthusiasm, knowledge, and skills of those attending ensured the initiative took off at a pace. Bi-monthly meetings were held in the Chequers Inn for one hour. Individuals were asked to lead on topics of their choice and crisp action minutes ensured rapid progress was made. David Sibbert organised and facilitated the meetings which continue about every quarter.

It quickly became clear that with so much information coming to hand a separate linked website would be needed. The group recruited Amanda Graham who together with husband Ian developed a trial ‘history specific’ website.

A presentation was made to the Parish Council on 13 July 2106 followed by launch at a meeting in the Village Hall on 19 September 2016, attended by some 50 interested residents and invitees, and thought to be one of the biggest events held at the village hall.

A Christmas History Quiz and Summer History Treasure Hunt were also held, and we continue to get new enquiries, largely from people researching their family history, from all over the world.

A second open meeting was held on 5 July 2017 which resulted in 4 pilot archaeological test pits being dug on 15 September 2017, under the guidance of David Ashby, BA (Hons), MRes Archaeology, University of Winchester, the results of which are currently being evaluated.

The next steps?

In the near future the History Group and the Parish Council will address outstanding issues relating to continuity, accountability and how best this initiative might be taken forward in the future.

DS Nov 2017

(For the record the members the Group during this development period were:
Hugh Brookes
Barbara and David Douglas
Clive Dunn
Ruth Gerring
Amanda and Ian Graham
Elizabeth and Andrew Gunn
Mike Newman
Joe Ody
David Sibbert
Sheila Terry
Sue Wales
John Wright

The content comes from numerous sources and has been published with the best of intentions. It is correct to the best of our belief. Where links are provided to other websites we cannot guarantee or be responsible for the accuracy of the contents of those sites.

This website is owned by Charney Bassett Parish Council and is managed by a communications team working with the local history group. More information about the village of Charney Bassett can be found on the Parish Council village website www.charneybassett.org.uk