Contacts

The Teddington Society
21 Teddington Park
Teddington TW11 8BD

Contact by e-mail:
secretary@teddingtonsociety.org.uk

The Summer 2006 issue of Tidings includes the following:

• Letter from the Chair
• From the Editor
• AGM Report
• Tales of the Riverbank
• The Past is Another Country
• Teddington in Flower
• Diary and Events

Letter from the Chair
Spring has arrived at last in Teddington after all the cold East and Northerly winds we had at the start of April. The magnolias and prunus are in flower in all our streets and looking lovely. My garden is at its best with camellias, bleeding hearts and the early bronze foliage of tree peonies and acers. I sometimes think Teddington in Flower ought to be a spring occasion, if only we could guarantee good weather!

I very much enjoyed meeting people at the AGM and the excellent and informative talk on Bushy Park. We are lucky to have such splendid open spaces on our patch. I also attended the Library's centennial tea, presented them with a birthday card and promised them a bird table for their garden. My next engagement is to present an award to the Baptist Church for their new architectural development.

Now that the weather is becoming warmer I hope that you all have a very enjoyable summer out and about in Teddington.

Jenny Hilton

From the Editor
The Historical Research Group has been working very hard, looking into the history of the Manor of Teddington. This issue of Tidings contains a ‘first helping’ of the results of their research (see The past is another country), with more to follow in subsequent issues. Two further features in this issue give more information about Teddington in the more recent past.

Of course, the Society is not interested merely in Teddington’s history, but is also very much concerned with the present and future of our town. It was heartening to see a particularly good turn-out for the AGM in April, and good to note that our membership continues to grow.

The various interest groups take an active part in helping to maintain and improve Teddington’s pleasant environment, and all groups would welcome new members able and willing to continue their good work.

Meanwhile, do come along to Teddington in Flower, look out for the Society’s stall at the River Festival and join us at some of our coffee mornings or outings.

Copy date for the next issue of Tidings is July 20th. Submissions by email are preferred, wherever possible.

Margaret Chan

The past is another country
The Historical Research Group has been working for some time on transcripts of medieval manorial records, to gain a fuller picture of the Manor of Teddington from its earliest times.The group is trying to build up a picture of the buildings which belonged to the Manor complex in medieval times, from references in the Manor accounts, and will be publishing these in Tidings as they are ready. What follows are some of the earliest references to the Manor buildings.These would have been situated somewhat behind the site of the present parish church. At this time,Teddington was an ecclesiastical manor, belonging to Westminster Abbey, although it was later to be seized by Henry VIII and leased out to his friends.There was a Manor House in Teddington until the latter part of the 19th Century: this was the last of many versions, and possibly contained a medieval hall house at its core.

Mary Ford

A short account of 14th Century Teddington is published by the Twickenham Local History Society at £3.50