Combining a fascinating mix of dramatic reconstruction, scenes from old photographs and personal interviews, the film recalls some of the great moments in Westbury's history and explores the origins of both its ancient and its more recent institutions.
From its beginnings in the Bronze Age and early medieval existence as a religious settlement in King Offa's Mercia, on to the later glory days of its 15th century College under Bishop Carpenter and its fate during the Dissolution and beyond, Westbury has mirrored the history of England. For more than a thousand years it has sheltered the devout and the corrupt, the literary and the rebellious, the opportunistic and the labouring poor, right down to the rich industrialists of the last three centuries who fled the city to enjoy its rural peace and the traders serving local farms and estates who formed the present village.
Why was Tudor Alice Topson ordered to do penance? How was Westbury involved in the Civil War? Who was a crack shot with a Smith and Wesson? Which Lake poet lived here for a year and what did redoubtable Victorian lady Amelia Edwards do in Egypt? These questions and many more are answered in this account of Westbury.
The Westbury Society is pleased to celebrate its 35th year in commissioning this film from Keith and hopes you too will enjoy West bury's unique history.
The DVD will be on sale, priced £15.00, from November 16th onwards from “Mail boxes”; “Mogford and Son”; “Supernews”; “Just-So Balloons”; “Garen Trappings”;”Status Hair Design”; The Parish Church; The Methodist Church and the Westbury on Trym CE School Christmas Fair. It will also be on sale at Westbury on Trym Society open meetings in the Village Hall
Mail order from: Westbury DVD, Box 350, c/o Mail Boxes, 60 Westbury Hill, W-O-T, Bristol, BS9 3UJ at £15 plus £1 p & p
Please print and complete an order form making cheques payable to
The Westbury-on-Trym Society
There are two things people will proudly tell you about Westbury-on-Trym. Firstly that it is a friendly village and secondly that it was an important settlement when Bristol was little more than a river crossing.
"Westbury on Trym" is an 80 minute DVD in which presenter, David Garmston, meets the people and explores the forces that have shaped the character of this former Gloucestershire village. 'Village' is the operative word: Westbury is still very much a community in its own right where anecdotes abound, rumours travel rapidly and everyone knows nearly everyone!
Using local historical material from the archives and anecdotes supplied by the Westbury on Trym Society's members as well as other local organizations, former BBC producer Keith Sheather takes us on a colourful journey from the Westbyrig of the Saxons to the present day BS9.
