The Lymington Society also announces a major Community Engagement Survey initiative to assist the Society in coming Neighbourhood Plan consultations.

See the Lymington Society “Neighbourhood Plan” website pages here

As Lymington Society members and the wider community, will have seen in the press, the Lymington and Pennington Town Council are finally, after a long delay, now working to produce a Draft Neighbourhood Plan. See the Council Site here.

This process started in 2016 and the Society was involved in one of the original Working Parties on Heritage and Design which last met in 2017, following which the Neighbourhood Plan process has been largely stalled until more recently.

In order to assist the Lymington Society in responding to the forthcoming Neighbourhood Plan consultations that the Council will be undertaking, the Society has decided to launch a new Neighbourhood Plan information section on its website to help its members and the wider community, fully understand what a Neighbourhood Plan is, and how it will benefit the town.

As part of this new Neighbourhood Plan information initiative, the Society is also launching a new Community Engagement Survey using an online service and this can be accessed below. The main reason for launching this Community Engagement Initiative is to try and assist the Society in understanding the views and priorities of its members and to ensure that as the acknowledged local Amenity Society in the town, we also understand the priorities of the wider community.

Click here to take survey – Lymington Society Community Engagement Survey

If you would prefer then a simple responce form can be accessed at Have your Say on the Society’s Neighbourhood Plan website pages. Click here for that form

The Neighbourhood Plan process is an important one for the Town, which could bring major benefits in both planning terms and financially for the town.

The Society urges its members and members of the community to take part in this survey to help the Society play its part in making this process a success.

The illustrated talk taking place at the Lymington Centre on the 7th of November has been cancelled due to the ill health of the speakers.

However we are pleased to announce that LymSoc Members can instead attend a talk organised by our sister organisation, the Friends of Sir Harry, on the 1th of November at the Lymington Centre at 6.30 pm for 7.00 pm entitled “To Copenhagen with Nelson”.

A Friends of Sir Harry Presentation

Please join us for a fascinating talk by Phillip St Lawrence, a dynamic and acclaimed speaker, at the McLellan Hall Lymington Community Centre Tuesday on the 15th of November 6.30 pm for 7.00 pm

It is early spring 1801 and Great Britain is intent upon neutralising Scandinavian and Russian support for Napoleon. Copenhagen is well defended and the attack Nelson plans is audacious, the assault both riveting and tense. When Admiral Parker signals him to withdraw Nelson makes perhaps the most famous act of insubordination in history, determined to secure the victory! ‘Simply captivating!’

Philip St Lawrence is a professional speaker who specializes in ‘bringing history alive’ through his various Talks. Following his appearance at the Chalke Valley History Festival in 2021, Philip’s captivating performances are now in high demand consistently receiving excellent reviews. His recent appearances aboard the Queen Elizabeth, as at other venues, have won numerous plaudits! (‘Audiences were enthralled by his delivery and subject matter’…. Cunard voyage report)

Cost of LymSoc Members Ticket to include Refreshments. £5.00

Tickets are on the door or from Eventbrite. Click Here for Tickets

The Society has been concerned for some time about the loss of many fine buildings in the town which have been demolished for redevelopments, due to the fact that they have no legal protection by being listed as Grade l and Grade ll. An example of this type of building would be the Hillcroft Clinic at the end of New Street which was demolished to create the current development of apartments.

The inclusion of a building on a Local List does not guarantee that the building will be preserved but is an indication of the importance of the building to the community and signifies to everyone that any development involving these building needs careful scrutiny with the aim that they should be retained if at all possible.

In an attempt to save such buildings or groups of buildings, the Society has been in discussions with the Chief Planning Officer for the NFDC, Claire Upton-Brown, about the possibility of creating a “Local List” of important local buildings which have historical heritage value, but which are not covered under the current Grade l and Grade ll listing system.

Many other local authority areas, including the National Park locally, maintain what is known as a “Local List” and on their website the NFNPA list the sort of criteria which can be used to assess suitable buildings. NFNPA Local List criteria. English Heritage describes these lists as “Local Heritage Lists” and they provide an Advice Note to help groups and councils to set up such a list.

The Society has now come to an agreement with the NFDC for the creation of a “Local List” for Lymington and has asked us to start collecting suggestions for buildings or monuments o other features of the town that would warrant being regarded as what is called a “non-designated heritage asset” .

We are therefore asking that members nominate buildings or monuments or other features of the town. As members will be aware many buildings in Lymington are already listed so please don’t nominate buildings that are already listed. You can check the list of Listed Buildings here before nominating a building. Listed Buildings In Lymington and Pennington

Please nominate your building/monument by emailing details here. LymLocalList@gmail.com If you could include a brief description of your nomination and if you could send some photos that would be helpful.

The Lymington Society has today emailed all its members the Autumn 2022 Update on its activities and plans for the future, as well as releasing details of its full Social Programme for the 2022 – 2023 season.

Full details can be seen here LymSoc Autumn 2022 Update and Social Programme

The Update includes a message from new Chair of the Society Don Mackenzie, and updates on Redrow/Lymington Shores, the Churchill Police Station Appeal and many other interesting topics of current concern to members and the community.

A full Social Programme starting with a Private View at St Barbe Museum on the 5th of October 2022 running through to the Summer Garden Party on June the 2nd 2023 has also been announced.

Members are invited to contact the Society if they have any comments to make on the issues raised in the Autumn Update

A PDF copy of the email is available here. Autumn 2022 Update

Monday the 16th of May. 6.00 PM for 6.30
Friends of Sir Harry Talk by local historian Barry Jolly. The Gates Hall, The Lymington Centre.
“The Call of Family” Changing names and changing fortunes: The experience of Sir Harry Burrard Neale and his relations. The Friends of Sir Harry is pleased to announce a talk in the Gates Hall, at the Lymington Centre, by eminent local historian Barry Jolly. During the talk Barry, a graduate in History, former Lieutenant Commander in the Royal Navy and Editor of Milford on-Sea Historical Record Society ‘Occasional Magazine’, will reveal more tantalising research findings, following his fascinating talk two years ago: The Real Sir Harry, The Man, The Myth and The Monument.
Tickets to include refreshments are £5.00 and are available by email from Friends of Sir Harry Committee Member Alastair Mann. Click here to email Alastair for tickets.

Members of the Lymington Society are invited to attend the wonderful Lymington Society Summer Garden Party, which is taking place this year in the beautiful garden of LymSoc Member Pauline Davis, who had kindly offered her garden for the event.

The venue is Friars, at 12, Fairfield Close, which is off Belmore Lane, not far form the centre of the town. Sign posts will be put out to help members find the party.

Due to our a clash with holidays and the availability of our favourite caterer Di Morley, the Party has now been moved to Wednesday the 25th of May at the same time of 6.00 pm. As usual we will be serving a mixture of Pimm’s and Prosecco as well as Di Morley’s delicious canapes.

So that we can properly plan the catering, tickets must be purchased from Eventbrite using the link below. The cost is £10 which will include the admin fee payable to Eventbrite. Tickets are limited and we would appreciate it if members could buy their tickets well in advance. The Committee hope that members will support the Society by attending this popular occasion.

Purchase Summer Party Tickets

Any queries call Don Mackenzie on 07860 106120

The Lymington Society Commitee have now decided that in view of the ongoing Omicron wave of infections, the next meeting in the Social Programme will now take place only on Zoom rather than in person.
With people rightly concerned about the current wave of infections, the switch to Zoom for this event will hopefully allow more members to enjoy what should be an entertaining talk. So pour yourself a glass of wine and join us for this talk on the 17th of Jan at 6.00 pm.
Details of the talk and the Zoom link are set out below together with the rest of the Social Programme for the year ahead. Please feel free to forward this link to friends whom you feel may enjoy the talk and may consider joining the Society.

Kind regards
Don Mackenzie 
Editor. 07860 106120

Monday January 17th 2022 – 6.00 pm
Illustrated Talk by Patrick Kempe.  – On Zoom Only
The Making of Films of Local Interest. 

Patrick has been making films featuring local topics since the 1970 and has produced a large number of fascinating videos on a huge range of topics, as can be seen here. DVD Titles (patrickkempe.co.uk)
His talk which will feature clips from his Video “Lymington – A Fascinating Glimpse into a Historic Town”
Describing his talk Patrick said: 

“In a nutshell, it’s about how I started filming in the 1970s, the early equipment and the people I met as well as the different subjects I covered. How I researched Lymington, the filming, the challenges, the funny things that happened and the interesting odd bits I discovered. Support from St. Barbe and so many others. How editing developed through to the finished DVD covers”

Donald Mackenzie is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Lymington Society Zoom Meeting
Time: Jan 17, 2022 06:00 PM London
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87241229795?pwd=TkJKZnJjaW8wOVM2a2JJUkdzV0h3UT09
Meeting ID: 872 4122 9795
Passcode: LymSoc

The Lymington Society has again supported the wonderful Friends of St Thomas Church Christmas Tree Festival which has been resumed this year after being cancelled last year because of coronavirus lockdowns etc.

Our beautiful tree has very kindly been decorated by Committee Member Pam Morrissey and recently stepped down Society Treasurer Heather Burrell and the Society are really grateful for the great job that they have done again this year.

The Christmas Tree Festival is run by the Friends of St Thomas Church to raise funds for the maintenance of the wonderful parish church and do a great job in supporting projects such as the repair of the cupola and the upgrading of the church hall where they paid for new doors out onto the courtyard garden.

Society Members are urged to visit the Festival to see the “enchanted forest” of over 60 beautifully decorated trees, taste the delicious homemade cakes on offer at the Festival Cafe or buy Christmas decorations from the fantastic table sale.

Two concerts are also being staged with the highlight being the Spirit of Christmas concert on Saturday night. Tickets are available on the door on the night.