Kimpton, Millennium Projects
| Tapestry | Calendars | Footpath Map |
| Photographic Project | Composition | Millennium Week-end |
| Flower Festival | "This is Kimpton That Was" |
The village formed a Millennium Committee in September 1997 to formulate ideas for projects to celebrate the Millennium. The major project which the Committee agreed to adopt was the creation of a Village Tapestry , to be worked by as many people as possible in the village. The idea took off when we were introduced to a professional designer who agreed to give her services free of charge. For photographs and more details, click here
On sale during 1999 were professionally printed Year 2000 calendars, with each month showing a different photograph of Kimpton past. The proceeds of the sales went towards the Church Restoration Trust.
One group in the village has, with the help of a local professional artist, produced a beautifully illustrated map of all the footpaths in the Parish. The map can be seen next to the War Memorial on the High Street.
Photograph courtesy Catherine Tees
A photographic record of the Parish will be made once a week throughout the year 2000. The photographs will show buildings, people, village activities and village life through all the seasons. The photographs will be on display for all to see once the record is complete and a copy will be stored in the County Records department.
50 musicians of all ages from the village played the World Premiere of this composition at the Kimpton Entertains concert on 29th April. The 5 minute piece was written especially for our village by composer John Webb. The piece includes some audience participation, so the audience were worked hard that night!
This project has brought together many musicians from the village of all ages (between 9 and 75) and all standards, some of whom had not played for quite some time ........ one musician professed to not having played in public for 35 years and one violinist produced his violin from its case where it had lain for 30 years and found that the hairs of his bow had been eaten by "bow beetle"!
Photograph courtesy Andy Wright
If your computer has sound and you would like to
hear a short extract of the orchestra, click here 
but be patient as
it might take some time to load!
In the village over the Millennium week-end, there were many private parties, both indoors and in marquees and on the stroke of midnight the whole village seemed to come alive with fireworks .
On the
1st January, we held a candle-lit procession at 4 p.m. led by a piper, walking
round the streets of the village, and gathering more and more people on the way.
In all, we counted about 600 people, all of whom gathered round our village
beacon, which was lit at 5 p.m. It was a moving and memorable
event.
Photograph courtesy Kirsty Tees
On the 2nd January, a "Great Kimpton Tea Party" was held in the Village Hall, where there were free refreshments for all (cakes, sandwiches and biscuits kindly donated). A video showing footage of May Festivals between the years 1971 to 1992 was shown and last stitch was put in the Millennium Tapestry, which was formally opened on Sunday 30th April. (back to top)
This was held in the Parish Church over the week-end 1st/2nd July. It was indeed a tribute to the imagination and skills of the village. Over 50 village organisations contributed floral/plant arrangements which in some way represented their group. The arrangements were auctioned at the end of the week-end providing funds for the church and for the group concerned.
An architectural drawing, watercolour-rendered, of the Parish Church by Marian Rushton was auctioned and the proceeds donated to the Church Restoration Trust. Prints will be on sale later in the year. (back to top)
Photograph courtesy Catherine Tees
Juliet Morton produced a dramatic presentation in words and music of Kimpton in living memory. The drama covered mainly the 20th century and the information was obtained from Parish Council minutes, interviews with residents who were living here earlier in the century, historical data obtained from photographs, school records, and parochial Church Council minutes.
Particularly poignant were the dramatised recollections of an evacué who, in 1939, was brought to the village along with many others. (see "Wartime Kimpton")
The year 2000 ended with a spectacular fall of snow, during the Christmas and New Year holiday at a time when most families could go out and enjoy the novelty.
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