JANUARY 5th 7pm.*
‘Twelfth Night Quiz’ – Bishop Lloyds Palace – £10 including festive refreshments – booking forms in December mail out

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 15th at the Grosvenor Museum Lecture Theatre at 7.30pm
Lecture Series: DR JAMES WRIGHT will talk about his recent book ‘Historic Building Mythbusting’

THURSDAY JANUARY 30th** at Bishop Lloyd’s Palace at 2.00pm
MICHAEL TREVOR BARNSTON, a Life Member of Chester Civic Trust, will give a talk about his family’s illustrious history followed by afternoon tea. Booking forms in the December Newsletter

FEBRUARY 12th at the Grosvenor Museum Lecture Theatre at 7.30pm
Lecture Series: Create Streets – a Think Tank currently supporting Cheshire West and Chester.

FEBRUARY 28th** at Bishop Lloyd’s Palace at 7.30pm
Chester Witches Peter Elliott and Clare Dudman

MARCH 19th at the Grosvenor Museum Lecture Theatre at 7.30pm
Lecture Series: Colin Potts, Programme Leader International Tourism Management, University of Chester.

MARCH 31 – APRIL 4*
Residential visit to the Surrey Hills including the Watts Gallery and Artists Village (details in the December Newsletter). Following from the lecture in November, a visit to the Watts Gallery and Village will be one of the highlights of the 5 day visit for members of the Trust. Other places of interest during the visit will include Hughenden Manor, the home of Benjamin Disraeli, the Stanley Spencer Gallery in Cookham and a private viewing of the National Trust’s Polesden Lacey.

APRIL 10th** 
Day visit to Llangollen including a tour of Plas Newydd. lunch and talk on the Pontcysllte World Heritage Site.

APRIL 16th. at the Grosvenor Museum Lecture Theatre at 7.30pm
Lecture Series: Peter Cocker will give a talk on Thomas Brassey: The World’s Greatest Railway Builder, celebrated at Chester Railway Station.

MAY 21st
Special guided tour of Wrexham.

JUNE 24th, Tuesday 7pm.
Celebration Sapphire Jubilee (65th year) Dinner – more details tba.

OCTOBER 2nd
AGM

More dates and details to come!!

Please note Civic Trust members have FREE admission to the lectures at the Grosvenor Museum. Guests are welcome £5 on the door.

(Booking forms for events marked * were included in the September mail out. **were included in the December mail out. )

George Payiatis, a Senior Urban Designer with Create Streets, will give a presentation on the recent research and work carried out by Create Streets.

Create Streets is currently working on a draft design code for Cheshire West and Chester Council. (At this stage George will NOT be able to give any details.)

The foundation has already set 7 design codes including the town centre of Lichfield with 100 new homes and a design code for wider pavements and more street trees in new developments across Surrey. See a list of Create Streets 2024 developments on the Create Streets website

WHEN: Wednesday 12th February

WHERE: Grosvenor Museum Lecture Theatre starting at 7.30pm.

Free admission to members of Chester Civic Trust / guests welcome £5 on the door.

On 30th January 2025 Michael Trevor Barnston gave a superb talk on ‘The Trevor Barnston Family: From the Norman Conquest to the 21st Century’.

Michael spoke about his fascinating family history stretching back to 1066 when Hugh de Berneston settled in the Wirral, in the area of the village of Barnston. Michael can trace his family history in Farndon back to the time of King Edward I who reigned from 1272-1307. During the Civil War, William Barnston, who was an ardent Royalist was captured and imprisoned by the Parliamentarians. The Farndon Obelisk commemorates Roger Barnston who served throughout the Crimean War and died at the siege of Lucknor in india. The landholdings of the Barnston Estate in Hapsford, Churton and Farndon were enhanced through the ages by marriages to local heiresses. Michael mentioned his gardens there where we were able to hold our Summer event last year.

Over the centuries the members of the Trevor Barnston family have been closely involved with the military and public life across the county of Cheshire.

Following Michael’s talk, tea and coffee and cake were served.