To download W. D. Pereira’s account of St Bartholomew’s Church, Chosen Hill, Churchdown, please press the link below:
See also his short history of Down Hatherley:
See also Lillian Bell’s article ‘Catholic Churchdown’:
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I lived at Church Cottage Chosen Hill as a child with my sister and 3 brothers from about 1950. My parents were sextons for St. Bartholemews Church. My father Hardy Hollins Munro died in 1953 and is buried in the Churchyard. My mother continued as sexton. There was no electricity or drainage at the cottage when we first lived there and had to have oil lamps. Electricity was only connected in about 1958. We had an outside earth toilet and one inside cold tap. We had two famous composers who visited us in about 1956 – Sir Ralph Vaughan Williams and Gerald Finzi who came for tea. Unfortunately us children had chickenpox at that time but Gerald Finzi was suffering from Non Hodgekinsons lymphoma and died some time later because of his weak immune system and being in con tact wit u’s. . This is recorded in his biography but we were not named a’s we were only young. We moved from the cottage when I was 14 to Up Hatherley. My mother died in 1993. We had a hard life on the hill. But it also holds happy memories of my childhood there. We intend to visit the visitor centre in the summer. For more information about the cottage please get in touch. I can be emailed on alisonclark2001@gmail.com
Alison Clark nee Munro.
Thank you so much for submitting this comment. I used to be the Police Officer at Albemarle Road Police Station in Churchdown Village during the late 1980’s. When I was on nights I would visit the Sexton’s Cottage and share a glass of Mrs Cutter’s homemade wine during the early hours. She was a nurse and used to working nights herself so she was prepared to sit up late chatting with her lodger and her local bobby. happy memories!
I am Alison’s sister Mercia Romeo. I too remember with fond happiness the time we spent at the cottage. Winter was particularly hard. Don’t know how our mother managed. My husband and I visited today for Mothering Sunday. We were hoping the cottage would be open but it was not. Any ideas when it would be open? merciaromeo7@gmail.com
Sorry Mercia I haven’t been up there for years. Kind regards Richard
Hello, I was a pupil at Churchdown Secondary Modern until 1964, I left because my father had a posting in Yorkshire. I remember John Munro, he was a fantastic cross country runner, no one could ever beat him, I finished second once in a school cross country race but John was miles ahead. Am I remembering the correct family?
I will ask the author’s daughter when I next see her. Kindest regards Richard
A really interesting read. I have been told that one of the reservoirs was originally uncovered, was this in 1937 when it was first built?