The Millennium Mural

In 2000 the Village Hall was completely refurbished.  As many villages were creating a memorial to mark the New Millennium, the villagers decided that their contribution would be a mural, which would provide a pictorial history of the village for future generations. 

The artist, Louise Shrewry, spent many hours photographing the village and interviewing villagers to find out about its history.  The Village Hall committee decided on the format and raised the money to paint the mural.

Below is a description of what is included in the mural.  Full details are included in our village book, entitled: “The Evolution of an English Village – Old Weston”. Click the button below to order a copy of the book.

Buildings shown are:  The Church of St. Swithin’s, Hammonds Pig Farm, Lanchester House, The Old School, Model Farm with stables behind, The Chestnuts, The Old Shop, West Bank, The Swan public house, the house known as 1622, The Swan & Shepherd, The Methodist Chapel, The Village Hall and Town Farm House, once known as Dobbins Cottage. 

On the horizon is the Old Windmill on Leighton Road, with bombers above flying out of RAF Molesworth as they did during World War Two.  Also included are a tractor, sheep and cows, depicting the farming life in the village, along with farmer Dick Beeby, who is driving his pony and trap along the street. At that time Dick and many villagers held Driving for the Disabled classes each week at Model Farm. 

Dick features in the mural because he and his father donated the original land for the building of the village hall, managed the building work and later donated the land for the additional car park, playground and sports field. 

The curtain drapes along the top of the mural, together with “Bluey” the pantomime cow at the bottom, represent the New Old Weston Thespian Society (NOWTS) which, for many years, produced a pantomime in the village hall.