Companions Area Homepage
NEW Feature - Monthly Garden Updates from Head Gardener Ark Redwood
This is a new monthly feature which we will develop over time. Each month our Head Gardener Ark will talk about what he has been doing in the gardens and the different activities each month brings.
Garden Update January 2010
Garden Update February 2010
Garden Update March 2010
Thank you for watching. We hope you find these of interest. The next Garden Update will be available in April.
Chalice Well in the Snow - January 2010
Photos by Chalice Well team members Ark Redwood and Gareth Lovelock and kindly provided by volunteer Tony Arihanto.
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Companions Day 2009
First a thank you to all who came to Companions Day, and all who were unable to but sent us their good wishes.
The marquee was beautifully dressed in preparation with stunning flower arrangements by Jenny White our House Mother.
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Over the previous two days Glennie Kindred and team of volunteers created a traditional well-dressing from a design by Glennie.
Below trustee Sophie Knock, one of the volunteers who generously gave their time, admires the finished dressing by the Lion’s Head.
The well head was also beautifully dressed by another trustee, Mary Priest-Coburn.
The day opened with a Companions circle around the Vesica Pisces.
And then the marquee slowly filled and Co-Chairs Joanna Laxton and Tyna Redpath welcomed everyone.
Joanna and Tyna also talked about the great response we’ve had to ‘Chalice Well – The Story of a Living Sanctuary’, our book published in January this year. It is available online via Chalice Well Shop.
There was also the opportunity to hear an extract from a talk by Wellesley Tudor Pole recorded in 1963, entitled ‘The Message for the Coming Time’. The recording is now available on CD from Chalice Well Shop. Remember to take a look next time you visit.
All proceeds from both the book and CD go to support the work of the Trust.
We then opened the space for the opportunity to share personal experiences of Chalice Well and the gardens. We started this session with Companions reading extracts from stories visitors and Companions have kindly sent us over the years and then Companions present shared their experiences and the ways in which Chalice Well has touched their lives. A common theme was the presence of a friendly Robin.
Below volunteer Clare Watts reads one of the stories we’ve been sent and ex-trustee Sig Lonegren shares one of his early experiences here.
This was followed by the fabulous Avalonian Free State Choir who filled the marquee with their beautiful harmonies.
What sort of 50th celebration would it be without a cake! The cake was cut by Natasha and Simon’s son Joshua, who was ably assisted by ex-trustee Roy Proctor. The cake was then shared out after lunch as dessert.
After lunch Glennie Kindred gave a fascinating talk on Honouring Holy Wells and Well-Dressing, sharing with us some of the knowledge she had gained when researching and designing the traditional Chalice Well well-dressing.
The full story in pictures of the creation of the well-dressing will be available on our website next week.
After her talk Glennie led us all in to the gardens where we honoured and dressed the Vesica Pisces.
We hope for those of you who were there this serves as a reminder of another great Companions Day, and for those unable to attend gives a feel of the day.
Our thanks go to Tony Arihanto and Ann Cook for the wonderful photographs.
Summers Day Update
We have received a lot of good feedback from visitors about the new toilet block. You can see the new building basking in the sun below.
Ark has done a fabulous job in the gardens and they are looking stunning, with splashes of colour everywhere. Great news for all the events we’ve got coming up over the next few weeks.
The bees in Buckton Orchard are doing well and, if productivity is anything to go by, are very happy.
And I couldn’t resist this view from the Meadow looking across at the Hood monument in the distance.
Chalice Well Gardens in the Snow
Tuesday morning, 3 February. The Gardens are covered in snow, a sight unseen, I’m reliably informed by Ark our Head Gardener, since 1995.
The Lower Lawns in the Snow
A Yew from Arthur’s Court
A Red Line in Arthur’s Court
Across Somerset Levels from the Meadow
Vesica Pisces in the Snow
Chalice Well Book Launch
Thursday 29th January saw the official launch of our brand new Chalice Well book, "Chalice Well - The Story of a Living Sanctuary". The event was well attended and feedback for the book has been excellent. All profits from the book are donated to the Trust. The book retails at £14.99 plus P&P and is available via our shop. Order online HERE.
The book arrives...
Jenny applies the finishing touches in preparation for the launch.
Chaia, Chalice Well Bookshop manager, prepares for the rush.
Richard Montagu, one of our new Trustee’s, and Jacqueline Redmond the recently appointed Manager’s PA at the book launch.
Natasha Wardle, Paul Fletcher and Caroline Sherwood talk about the creation process and deliver some lovely readings from the book.
Work Underway on the New Toilet Facilities
Work began on the new toilet facilities in early January. They are currently on schedule which will see them completed at the end of March.
It is early days yet but you can see the progress that has been made.
A big thank you to those that have responded to our request for donations towards the toilets, this is an expensive project but will see much needed improvements to our toilet facilities.
The Old Toilet is No More.
The ground is cleared in preparation.
Building work begins.
Once the foundations are in place the new toilet block soon starts to take shape.
If you would like to make a donation towards the cost of the new toilet facilities you can do so via the donations page in the Support Chalice Well area of this website. All donations, no matter how large or small, are greatly appreciated.
Click HERE to go directly to the donations page.
Interesting Discovery at the Well Head
Many of you will know that there has been an issue recently with flooding around the Well Head.
Early on the morning of Monday 15 December Martin Faulkner and his son Shane began work to improve the drainage around the Well Head. Neither of them suspecting what they were about to uncover...
Several hours later they had removed the existing concrete...
...to reveal four, 6 inch thick slabs, of Blue Lias.
Exactly when this surround dates back to is uncertain and will no doubt be a cause of much debate.
As you can see by the pictures the new drainage was sorely needed.
The newly revealed stonework was incorporated into the new surface together with the ammonites and masonry fragments from the previous concrete surround.
Below you can see part of the new drainage system.
So far everyone who has seen the new, old surround has been very pleased with the results.
The Chalice Well Trust