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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 24-Jan-19
8.00pm
Liston Hall
The founding of Reading Abbey: its architecture, art and music
Speaker/Contact (category)
John and Lindsay Mullaney (MAS)
Thur 14-Feb-19
8.00pm
Liston Hall
LIDAR - the new illuminating the past
Speaker/Contact (category)
Andy McGrandle (MAS/AIM)
Mon 18-Feb-19
8.00pm
Garden Room, Liston Hall
Marlow's overworked Workhouse
Speaker/Contact (category)
Janet Smith (GR)
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)
Marlow Bridge - Additional Risk:
The closure of the Volvo footbridge across the A404 Marlow By-Pass on 31 Aug to 2 Sep 18 was a programmed event preceded by discussion and coordination between the Highways Agency and Bucks Highways. The Marlow Society Executive was advised by Cllr Collingwood, our Bucks County Councillor that, In view of the debacle on 24 Sep 16 when the Girtewka lorry crossed the Marlow Bridge, Highways England would provide 24 hour protection of our bridge during the closure of the by-pass. As we all know, this was not done and, as a result, 40ft lorries came down the High Street with the intention of crossing the bridge.
Marlow Bridge Protection: Current thoughts on how to protect Marlow's beautiful bridge. ...visit page
Marlow Bridge Study - Oct 2017:
a report commisioned by Transport for Buckinghamshire.
extract: The purpose of this report is to explore the current measures and to analyse other options to reduce the risk of overweight vehicles from accessing the bridge....
view / download report (.pdf size 3Mb)
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.
Status May 2018: After a strong campaign (see below) and very high response opposing the intended imposition of this parking policy by BCC, it seems probable that this issue will go on hold now that the County Council's emphasis has turned to the debate on the decision by the Secretary of State on the choice of one or two Unitary Councils for Buckinghamshire. Nevertheless, the Society will remain vigilant.
more information and background
Planning Overview - November 2017: Subjects include: Parking issues, Applications worsening the parking situation, Marlow Society response to the Local Plan, 4 town houses impact on heritage buildings, New Court, Marlow Sports club pavilion, Some words of praise where due, Please help us speak up for the preservation of the character of Marlow. ...visit page
Appeal for Info and Photos -
Bisham Church War Memorial
As part of our current project to record and preserve war memorials in the Marlow area, we are looking for records and photos relating to the war memorial inside Bisham Church.
The memorial was maliciously damaged sometime in the 1980s and the heads were broken off the statues of Saints Michael and George.
We are particularly interested in obtaining photos of the memorial prior to the damage.
If you can help please contact Geoff Wood on 01628 475475 or tmsheritage@ marlowsociety.org.uk
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)
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 I report that I have been notified of the death of Diana Wethered, a Vice President of our Society. A memorial service is scheduled to take 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. ...
Seat in memory of Margaret and Derek Done
The loss of Margaret Done and then her husband Derek last year was a great loss to their family and many friends and colleagues here in Marlow. Thanks to the Done family we now have a lasting memorial to Margaret and Derek. If you walk down to the Thames Path at Gossmore you have the opportunity of sitting on the memorial bench installed in their memory. Linger for a while, remember them and enjoy the privilege of living in Marlow and having the wonderful views of which the one across the river is one that they loved.
MEB 24-Oct-17
visit page
A Positive Impact
(22 Aug 16 but still valid) This morning I visited the newly opened Marlow Bookshop in Spittal Street 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
In response to requests from the Marlow Society and the Marlow Town Council, Red Kite agreed that the picture of Nesta Liston, which has been in New Court House since its gift to the town, should be installed in Liston Hall.
... read more
Windsor House site
(this display has now been removed)
Many of you will have seen the white boarding that was placed in front of Windsor House, at the junction of Dean St and Spittal St ...
This montage of historic pictures is from Michael Eagleton's and Ray Evans' collections in the very location at which they were originally taken.
visit page
A404 Bisham Roundabout - Public Consultation
Back in June 2015 The Highway's Agency proposed several options for the improvement of the Bisham Roundabout on the A404. Details of the 3 prominent options displayed in an exhibition of 19-20 June 15 are shown here: visit page. The option of a flyover or an underpass linking the Bisham and Maidenhead roads were displayed. Making changes that speed up traffic on the A404 but which result in longer queues at both ends and the same total transit time makes little sense.
August 2017: We understand that Highways England were studying a range of traffic works for the Thames Valley including a Junction 3A on the M40 serving eastern High Wycombe. Any updates will be displayed here.
Some Past Events:
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
The Home Front in Marlow, 1917-18
Monday 20th November 2017
at 8.00 pm.
The Garden Room, Liston Hall, Marlow, SL7 1DD
visit page
