Summer Evening City Walks - Trust Annual Report 1996
Last year's Summer Evening Walks had been most successful, and there was always the chance that the 1996 walks would be an anti-climax. However, in spite of less reliable weather, the support for the walks was even greater than ever.
A last minute substitution of the leader of the first outing on 20th June led to an interesting walk guided by David Crudgington looking at Winchester's trees and open spaces.
This was followed by a study of the architectural detail of some of Winchester's older buildings with Richard Baker, and a further walk on similar aspects of more recently completed buildings was organised by Keith Leaman.
Andrew Rutter, the City Conservation architect, led us to the eastern High Street, and Michael Carden took a formidable contingent around the outside of the precincts of St Cross, since the inside had been closed for a social event.
We were once again fortunate in having the Peninsula Barracks architect, Huw Thomas, to take us round the ever-changing scene to be found there at the end of July. His enthusiasm for the project is unbounded!
The final walks in August included looking at some of Winchester's mediaeval buildings led by the historian and writer Dr Tom James, a tour round some of the Winchester College buildings with Michael Bullen of the County Council Historic Buildings Division, and a fascinating insight into the incredible arrangements made for the 16-day St Giles Fair, occupying an area almost equal to the city itself at that time, with Graham Scobie from the City's Archaeological Section.
The final walk was led by myself covering the Hyde area, until the onset of rain brought the walking season to a premature finish.
We are most grateful to both the leaders and those who have supported the walks. Since next year we shall probably be in the midst of a fund-raising campaign for the Heritage Centre Improvement Project, we thought that perhaps a small charge might be in order.