Tower and Town, August 2020

  (view the full edition)

Editorial: Past, Present And Future

As this edition of Tower and Town contains a disparate group of articles, I have opted for the catch-all title of “Past, Present and Future”, reflecting the rich past of our town, the beautiful historical and natural surroundings we have today and hopes for the future.

Ilse Nikolsky introduces us to an exceptional aspect of the town’s history in The Vicar’s Library, our own set of books - some rare and unique, and as a group, so important they are kept in the Bodleian library. Past and present are intermingled in the first part of David Chandler’s fascinating virtual walk through the town explaining the origin of many of our familiar street names; Charles Ponting, the architect of the Town Hall, sometimes preserved elements of previous buildings in his designs; and Richard Jefferies’ love of nature in Victorian England strikes a chord with present concerns about the value of the natural world.

Present and future are intrinsically linked in the environment. Millie Carmichael explains the wittily named Bee Roadzz, a network of joined up habitats with Marlborough at the crossroads. Gareth Harris introduces us to barbastelle bats and James Bumphrey reminds us of the importance of housing estate back gardens as wildlife habitat.

And finally, John Osborne describes the gem that is St Katharine’s Church in Savernake: a rich history, a beautiful setting and a place for quiet contemplation now that churches are open again for private prayer.

Sarah Bumphrey