LOCAL HISTORY - At the November meeting of the Bill MacAdam Local History Group, Chris Barber gave a most interesting talk on Kilvert country. Frances Kilvert was a clergyman and a diarist. When Chris Barber was researching Kilvert and his journeys through the country north of Clyro in Radnorshire, he joined the Kilvert Society. He wrote a guidebook to Kilvert Country and produced an audio-visual presentation, using Kilvert's own words from the diaries. He was invited to present this at the Kilvert Society annual meeting where it was a great success. The Skenfrith Local History Group was privileged to see it too. The countryside of Kilvert Country is spectacularly beautiful and Chris Barber's photographs reflected this beauty. Sadly Kilvert died when quite a young man but his diaries, picturing life in the Welsh Marches during the 1870s live on. The next meeting of the Local History Group is on Friday, December 12. Steve Clarke, our local archaeologist, will keep the group up to date on what is happening to the river in Skenfrith, to the weir, and to the buildings unearthed during repairs to the riverbanks. It promises to be an interesting evening. It is also the group's Christmas party, when everyone is asked to bring a contribution of food or drink. Home-made wine is most acceptable, also any Christmassy nibbles. The meeting is at 7.30pm, at Hilston Park and all are welcome.

VILLAGE HALL GRANTS - In the recent round of grants for village halls provided by Monmouthshire County council, Alan Jones, chairman and treasurer of the parish hall committee, applied for money for three items, a cooker, a loft ladder and floor tiles for the conservatory area. He learnt recently that the hall has been awarded grants for the cooker and loft ladder. The hall itself will have to provide half the money. The grants will be a great help and the committee is very grateful to the Monmouthshire County Council for this money.