Charity begins at home but should not end there: oral history and art project in a West Dorset village.
Witty sayings by a 17th century clergyman now adorn the beams of Broadwindsor’s community pub, The White Lion.
Bridport artist and signwriter Jemma Thompson’s work on six aphorisms by the Rev Thomas Fuller, who is credited with the famous phrase, Charity begins at home but should not end there, is part of a community project, Born & Bred, run by Windrose Rural Media Trust.
“Dr Fuller’s words are as wise now as they were when he first wrote them,” said project leader and local resident Margery Hookings.
“He was a real advocate for moderation and tolerance. His sermons were said to be so popular that people came from miles to hear him preach.”
Fuller was Rector of Broadwindsor from 1634 to 1661, although he spent much of that time away from the village during the Commonwealth of England.
Oak Apple Festivities
A church service and flower festival based on Fuller’s sayings takes place in the church on 1 June as part of the village’s Oak Apple festivities. The four days of activities from 29 May to 1 June include a fête, classic car display, pub banquet, family fun evening at the cricket field and picnic walk to Dorset’s highest point, nearby Lewesdon Hill.
The events centre around Oak Apple Day on 29 May, which commemorates the restoration of the monarchy in 1651 by Charles II, who famously hid overnight in the village as part of his six-week escape from the Battle of Worcester. The date was also the king’s birthday.
Dr Fuller was Charles’s II Chaplain Extraordinary in 1660 until he died in 1661.
The project has seen oral histories conducted with some 20 local people, along with sessions at Magna Housing’s communal room at Fullers, an estate named after the esteemed clergyman.
It culminates in a short film and a local history book, which are due to be launched at the end of August.
Said Margery Hookings: “A considerable amount of in-kind contributions have made this project possible, along with grants from Dorset Council’s community and culture fund, the South West Procurement Alliance/LHC community benefit fund, Magna’s community improvement fund and the British Association For Local History.”
Windrose, a registered charity, runs creative, archival and educational projects in rural Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire.
One constant has been the saving of archive films of local life through collaboration with local people.
This has resulted in a large archive, which has been displayed to the public in hundreds of shows in village halls, theatres and cinemas.
All Windrose’s work is based on outreach in dispersed communities and with the close involvement of local people from a very wide range of ages and backgrounds.
To view some of the archive film in its collection and learn more about its projects, please visit https://windroseruralmedia.org/
