This illustrated talk from the ever popular Brian Jeffery will be full of talk of maps, diagrams and photographs tracing the history of corn-milling in the Whalley and Billington area from about AD1200 to the present day.
Although this subject would appear to be dry and dusty, as you would expect from milling, the story starts with Peter de Chester, Assistant to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and continues with the arrival of Whalley Abbey in AD1296, long court-cases of the 17th century with Assheton v Braddyll, the development of the turnpikes, a lost Whalley town-centre bridge, a mill-stone factory and the cause of the frequent present-day Whalley floods. From clues found in and around Whalley, this is a historical detective-story with profound relevance to today’.
The talk concludes by showing the 16th century Whalley Township corn mill that most people, who know Whalley well, will recognise immediately.
Tempting as it is to link the quality of his jokes to the subject, I’ll refrain, simply because it might encourage him to tell more on the night!
£4.00 (£2.50 members) including refreshments. Pay on the Door.