RADWINTER RECORDER’S ANNUAL REPORT 2003-2004

Radwinter Reredos
The year began with fund-raising for the restoration of Radwinter’s early sixteenth century Brussels Reredos to enable it to be cleaned and conserved.£9000 was raised from corporate funders and a further £13,000 from private donations and the Radwinter church’s existing restoration fund. What has been described as the finest piece of
woodcarving in Essex was conserved and is re-installed in the church. A booklet has been published on the history and conservation process.

Muniments Centre
Radwinter Parish Council have paid for the conversion of part of the balcony of the village hall into and office and muniments centre to house the substantial archive that have been accumulated through the years.

Radwinter Society
A meeting was held on Thursday, 26th February 2004 at which it was agreed to form a Radwinter Society. Eight people attended this inaugural meeting and it was agreed that, although the stimulus for the Society was the recording of Radwinter’s historical records, the objects of the society should also be widened to include other activities in Radwinter’s interests, such as the logging of footpaths or organisation of future anniversary celebrations. A constitution was agreed subject to adoption at the first General meeting. This was framed to allow for registration with the Charity Commission should the Society’s turnover reach the statutory limit of £1000, a situation which would arise should a grant be obtained for the purchase of, say, a computer and software.

Conservation and Archiving
A meeting has been arranged to begin the process of recording items in the Radwinter archives onto Uttlesford Local History Recorders’ RUTH record card prior to entry onto the new database.

Oral History
Notes have been produced based on Essex Record Office training sheets to guide participants in oral history recording. An application for funding is being made to purchase a minidisk and CD recording system. A meeting has been arranged to begin the process of recording.

Future Publications
Two further publications are in preparation, both on former Radwinter Rectors. One is a translation of the diary and autobiography of Richard Drake, Rector from 1638 to 1667.Drake was one who was in full sympathy with Laud's revival of Church life. The churchwardens of the time made things difficult for Drake. The local cobbler and a tailor named John Traps, promoted brawling at church services. Drake was many times assaulted both in church and outside. Strange preachers were intruded into the parish as Puritanism triumphed but at the Restoration of King Charles II, Drake was restored to his rights.

The second publication is on John Frederick Watkinson Bullock, Rector from 1865 to1916. A high churchman, Fred Bullock was a leading light in the latter part of the Oxford Movement and his restoration of the church is a demonstration of his Tractarian views.

Census Records
In addition to a complete run of paper-based facsimiles of the published censuses, Computer floppy discs and CD have been purchased and we now have the ability to search computer indexes for Radwinter and the Saffron Walden area for the years 1851, 1861, 1881 and 1891.

Michael Southgate. Radwinter Local History Recorder
Further information on many of the subjects briefly described here can be found on the Radwinter History Website: www.radwinterhistory.org.uk