Review of the local people's book Bonsall - A Portrait of a Village and its Church, by Julie Bunting
This review is by Julie Bunting, and was published originally in
The Peak Advertiser, the Peak District's local free newspaper,
on 27th March 2000, and is reproduced with Julie's kind permission.
BONSALL - A PORTRAIT OF A VILLAGE AND ITS CHURCH
Written, edited and published in Bonsall by local people. Cost £2.50,
available from local bookshops, newsagents and Bonsall Church.
This is the second edition of this interesting little book, fully produced
by local people. The first edition was published to coincide with the first
Bonsall Flower Festival, which has since become a yearly event.
The first edition was so popular, there was a need to re-print,
incorporating a few changes. In recent times; much work has been done to
the church as a result of large grants from various sources plus a large
amount raised by the village itself. Alongside the Bonsall Map Project,
this has deepened roots and renewed village pride.
As well as the church, the book covers the past and present of Bonsall
School and shops and trades in the village, some still. there and some
long-gone, all described in a walk around. Some older residents have
contributed to the walk through the village of yesterday and also the
recollections and reflections on Bonsall memories. The history of
Bonsall near this interesting village is summarised, along with all the
clubs, societies and services available today.
The original historical contents of the book were the work of Stella
Lindup, but it is obvious that so many people in this village have
contributed. Jennie Hayward, Team Vicar, wrote in the foreword about the
book, "besides giving me some valuable information, it also gave a
wonderful sense of the history and tradition at the core of the village"
and in summary we would all agree with her sentiments when she said
"Bonsall, as I have discovered, is a village that grows on you. It is
moving forward, but not losing its sense of the past. Long may it continue
to do so."
Review by Julie Bunting
[Ed: please note this Review was published in 2000. For the latest information
on publications relating to Bonsall, see
The Bonsall History Project website]
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[Created 2 Dec 2000. Last updated 24 Oct 2008 - 11:02 by Rosemary Lockie]