OLD Campden House was the subject of a talk given by Mary Gray of Chipping Campden Historical Society to Rotarians on March 5.

Members heard how the mansion was burned down by the royalist garrison during the Civil War to avoid its being used by the parliamentarians.

The house was never rebuilt, although the two banqueting houses remain and are now restored by the Landmark Trust as holiday lets. The Historical Society has done several digs on the site, but there are no surviving documents left to show how the house actually looked, although the Society has made educated guesses about some of the features of the house and grounds, which included landscaping and a canal fed by gravity through lead pipes, which still exist, from Willersey.

Unfortunately the grounds are seldom open, although it is hoped they could be opened more often in the future.

Chipping Campden Rotary Club will meet again on April 2 when Gareth Hill will talk on Wateraid.

On Thursday 2nd April Gareth Hill is to speak about Wateraid.

New members are always welcome at the club's weekly dinner at the Cotswold House Hotel on Thursday evenings at 7pm for 7.30pm. Membership is open to men and women. Contact club president Adrian Grimes on 01386 593254 to request a meal.