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Welcome to The Marlow Society
The Marlow Society is a registered charity whose efforts are devoted to the preservation and development of Marlow and the surrounding villages and countryside.
We seek to represent all those who enjoy living in, working in, shopping or just visiting our beautiful town situated on the banks of the River Thames, in the foothills of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
These pages are regularly updated, please select here to view the latest version.
There's lots to do .. if you can become actively involved in furthering the aims of the society, please contact us - tmssecretary@ marlowsociety.org.uk
An active group within the Marlow Society is the Local History Group. Researching, producing history articles, conducting guided walks and answering questions about the history of Marlow and the surrounding area are some examples of what they do.
Read more about the Local History Group.
If you have any questions about Marlow's history you can contact the group at:
tmslocalhistorygroup @marlowsociety.org.uk
An Overview - Sept 2018 of some of the items affecting Marlow. Visit this page for notes on :
- Last year's concerns: Unitary authority, Public access to traditionally available areas, Parking.
- New concerns: Flood management, Bridge.
- Advances in Marlow in the last year: Public realm improvements, Air Quality Management Area, Conservation, Heritage Open Day.
- Society Plans: Member volunteers, Digitalisation, History Boards.
- Points to Share: Restoring the Rights.
The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) is a European Union legal instrument ensuring the protection of individuals with regard to the processing of personal data.
The GDPR policy of the Marlow Society can be found here.
Please help us stay in contact by emailing tmschair@marlowsociety.org.uk with the message 'GDPR. I/We agree to the Marlow Society holding my/our personal details.', followed by your name(s).
Some Forthcoming Events:
Events by groups other than the Local History Group (LHG) are annotated with (oth).
AIM = Archaeology in Marlow, MAS = Marlow Archaeology.
Current and Future Events:
Thur 14-Mar-19
8.00pm
Liston Hall
The Anglo-Saxons of the Upper Thames: dress and identity in the 5th and 6th centuries
Speaker/Contact (category)
Dr Toby Martin - Lecturer in Early Medieval Archaeology, IoA, University of Oxford (MAS)
Tues 26-Mar-19
8.00pm
Liston Hall
Marlow's shops - then and now
Speaker/Contact (category)
Michael Eagleton (MS/LHG)
Thur 11-Apr-19
8.00pm
Liston Hall
The Monks' Graveyard excavation: finding a lost abbot at the Abbey Church and Cathedral of St Albans
Speaker/Contact (category)
Ross Lane - Site Director, Canterbury Archaeological Trust (MAS)
Sat 13-Apr-19
2.00pm
Meet at church
Bisham Church Tour
Speaker/Contact (category)
John Harper 01628 624677 (LHGV)
Marlow Bridge
The protection and maintenance of Marlow's beautiful bridge is an ongoing challenge - preventing overweight vehicles, while keeping the bridge an open and practical route for local traffic.
visit page ... This page notes some of the thoughts on how to achieve this and some of the specific events and issues that help illustrate the situation.
Appeal for Information -
Albert Langdon descendants
Marlow Remembers WW1 is holding one of its last graveside commemorations to remember Albert Langdon on 23rd February 2019.
He died of pneumonia after extensive war service 100 years ago. His family came from Wales and the family's homes in Marlow included The Elms in Portlands and Portlands Villas, when his father was the postmaster in Marlow. He had brothers and sisters, and other surnames connected with the family are Mitchell and Plowman, all possibly in the Wycombe or Reading area.
We do like to notify family members of these commemorations. If you can help trace a descendant of this brave soldier, please contact the Marlow Society on tmsheritage@ marlowsociety.org.uk
The Marlow library is a very valuable asset and there are plans to increase the range of facilities it offers the community. There may be an opportunity to include the Marlow Museum in these plans. There is more information on the Bucks CC, Library and Marlow Museum websites - links below:
Parking Meters in Marlow: There has been an intention to put parking meters on town centre parking bays that are currently free to park on for a short stay.
more information and background
The Global Business Park management organisation ran a public consultation on suggested improvements to the A404/Marlow roundabout (Westhorpe Interchange). The consultation ran to 1st Feb 2019.
More information on their website globebusinesspark.co.uk
Planning Overview - December 2018: Subjects include: The New Local Plan, NatWest, Foxes Piece, Portlands, Flooding compensation, New Court, Quality Counts, Windsor House, Esso Garage. ...visit page
Current and Forthcoming Events:
The Marlow Museum feature display is
Travellers Tales
open: Sat, Sun 1 - 5 pm. Wed 2 - 5 pm (Mar-Oct)
Nov-Feb: Sun 2-4pm
Marlow Museum, Court Garden, SL7 2AE
The exhibition tells the story of travellers to Marlow from Albania, China, Siberia and St Vincent - The Spotted Boy, Kate Marsden, Sir Robert Hart and King Zog. A booklet, available at the museum, features many more ...
more information on Marlow Museum website (opens in a separate window)
Marlow's shops - then and now
Tuesday, 26th March, 8.00pm,
Liston Hall, Marlow SL7 1DD
A presentation by Michael Eagleton. Michael says that there will probably be a few pubs thrown in, too.
Please also see the Some Forthcoming Events table higher up this page
In Memory:
follow this link to dedications to departed friends
With much regret we reported the death of Diana Wethered, a Vice President of our Society. A memorial service took place on 17 December 2018 at 1400h in All Saints Church.
News Headlines:
The Obelisk
The restoration work on the Obelisk was completed September 2018.
During the restoration, some elements that worsened the decay were discovered: when the gravel around the plinth had been removed, this showed that water seeping through the gravel had been retained and thus created a pool from which water 'wicked' up the plinth encouraging the spalling we have seen.
Further work revealed that the drain below the plinth was blocked. It also revealed the well from which the public water pump in Market Square was supplied. The drain is being rebuilt. ...
A Positive Impact
(22 Aug 16 but still valid) Soon after the Marlow Bookshop opened in Spittal Street I visited to say, on behalf of the Society, how much I appreciated the new shop's façade and, in particular, the high quality signwriting on the shop sign.
visit page
Nesta Liston's gift to Marlow
The picture of Nesta Liston, which had been in New Court House since its gift to the town and until its sale to the private sector, is now installed in Liston Hall.
... read more
Select image to visit page.
These are two examples, in recent years, of co-operation between the Society and the major property owner in Marlow. We will seek other similar opportunities whilst strictly maintaining our independence.
Some Past Events:
Marlow's overworked Workhouse
Monday, 18th February, 8.00pm
Garden Room, Liston Hall, Marlow SL7 1DD
In the century following the dissolution of the monasteries it became obvious that society needed a replacement for the hospices and hospitals which the religious had run. ...
The Founding of Reading Abbey
A Marlow Archaeology (MAS) talk
Thursday, 24th January at 8.00 pm
Liston Hall, Chapel Street, SL7 1DD
Heritage Open Day - Sat 8th Sept 2018
Lord's Wood, Marlow Common
A real treat this year as we offered the extensive grounds of this lovely house and art gallery. The house was the residence for many years of the prominent artist and suffragist Mary Sargant Florence, friend and confidante of many in the famous Bloomsbury Group.
Free entry by pre-registration.
Looking Back Again
A talk by Michael Eagleton
Monday 20th August 2018, at 8.00 pm,
The Garden Room, Liston Hall.
members £1.50, visitors £3.00
Marlow Remembers WW1 - Amiens August 1918 - The Turning Point
Guided Tour of Bisham Church and Churchyard
Led by John Harper
Saturday 14th April 2018
at 10.30 am.
All Saints Church Bisham, Bisham, Marlow, SL7 1RW
visit page
OSS-Station VICTOR - Hurley's Secret War
A talk by Philip Williams
Tuesday 27th March 2018
at 8.00 pm.
Liston Hall, Marlow, SL7 1DD
visit page
