Snapshot of village life (From Stroud News and Journal)

Snapshot of village life

THE BEAUTIFUL village of Randwick enjoys some of the most spectacular views in Gloucestershire.

Its sloping hills tower gloriously over the Stroud valleys and from the best spots on a clear day you can see as far as the Severn river and the Welsh mountains.

Visitors to the churchyard are rewarded with a panoramic backdrop of the surrounding countryside.

And drivers on its winding lanes are taken on a magical journey past Cotswold stone houses and attractive gardens.

Now some of these fantastic scenes have been captured in a book celebrating Randwick at the turn of the century.

Randwick: A Millennium Snapshot has been published by the village's historical association.

The 140-page, glossy book contains a selection of photographs of local life in the year 2000, including the famous Randwick Wap - a celebration of the beginning of summer when residents choose a May Queen and take part in a cheese rolling event.

Readers can also learn about the Whitsuntide Treat, when villagers sing hymns around the Long Court lake, the Millennium relay and other quirky traditions and familiar sights.

Randwick which is two miles from Stroud on the edge of the Cotswold escarpment, has a population of 1,400.

The year 2000 was its wettest on record, a fact which was discovered at the village's own weather station, where volunteers make daily observations for the Meteorological Office.

It was also a year when villagers and well-wishers clubbed together to buy a new window for the St John the Baptist church.

The work, produced by Nailsworth artist Graham Dowding, depicts light flooding down from heaven to earth and was installed earlier this year.

More than 270 photographs feature in the book, with the aim of to recording the beauty of Randwick for posterity.

One photographer, Allan Smith, said in the foreword: "We know that modern colour photographs tend to fade and little is known about the permanence of computer-generated material, video recordings and photocopies.

"And we cannot predict the effects of climate change, natural disasters, and, heaven forbid, the impact of war.

"This book shows Randwick exactly as it was in 2000.

"We hope it will provide something for future generations to reflect upon and enjoy."

The book, priced at £15, is available from Randwick Historical Association.

For each sale a donation will be made to the Randwick Village Hall improvement fund.

Contact RHA chairman Brian Farrer on 01453 753724.